Gravity
by redwing55
Summary: When Sora's parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, and a handsome, infuritating boy to deal with, this week could be more interesting than he thought...SoraRiku, AxelRoxas, AU.
1. Tangerine Madness

**NOTE**: I did have another version of this fic, but for some reason the site kept losing it/deleting it/hating it/having trouble with it. Hopefully this version will work better, and people will actually be able to access it...ifI'm lucky.And I'm sorry to all you reviewers who took time to comment on the other one and got deleted….I love you all )

Whee! First fanfic!

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuritating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

spoiler alert in disclaimer if you haven't finished KHII. .

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or any of these characters. Disney and Square own Kingdom Hearts. If I owned Kingdom Hearts, however, the ending of KHII would not have been that cutsey hand-holding scene with Sora and Kairi. Instead, Sora would have grabbed his hand back immediately, shouting, "EWW! GIRL COOTIES!" Then Riku would stop frolicking in the waves with Mickey and sneak up behind him and...you get the picture.

**Author's Note: **This fic will contain slash (if you couldn't tell by the summary). If you don't like this, you can stop reading and go sulk in a corner with Kairi,

**Reviews: **This is my first fic, so reviews are greatly, greatly appreciated. Prettyplease?

_And...on with the ridiculous campy fun!_

_------_

"I knew this was a good idea," Sora's mom bubbled as they drove through the placid woods of northern Maine. "I mean, just look at the scenery! All these lovely trees and flowers and things…ooh, a deer!"

"That's a bush, dear," her husband corrected, without looking up from his paper.

"Oh, well, close enough. The point is, dear, that you are going to have all _sorts_ of fun this week. Aren't you glad we made you sign up for this little camping adventure? One last summer before you're all grown up and off to college?"

"Sure, mom," Sora sighed, staring out the window.

Dappled sunlight fell through the canopy of trees above his head as the sedan bumped along the rustic road. Eyeing the lush greenery outside the window, he wished he was back home, spending his last precious weeks of freedom with his high school friends. Instead he was being shipped off to camp like some starry-eyed fourteen year old.

But no, he simply _had_ to spend a week in the 'fresh country air'. All because of a passing mention that he was bored back in June and a careless remark about rock-climbing. And his meddling parents. _See if I buy _you_ college sweatshirts_.

As they turned onto a tiny dirt road, he reminded himself that he technically could have refused. He was eighteen, after all. But at the time, a climbing trip with a bunch of other teenagers had seemed like it could be passably fun.

But as they passed under a cheery wooden sign that said in bright yellow letters, "Camp Ares", he was beginning to deeply regret his thinking.

---

The parking lot was worse than he could have imagined. Flocks of teenagers stood in protective huddles while their parents ever-so-casually leaned against expensive cars, chatting and occasionally letting out a false, airy laughs. People who could only be camp counselors (wearing fluorescent orange shirts, no less) were beaming in a way which Sora not only thought was deeply, deeply frightening, but unlawful as well. One gave a cheery wave as the hood of the car slid past the gate; his mother gave them a sunny smile and said, "Such nice people, don't you think?"  
But Sora had just caught sight of a large white banner that said "Welcome, Campers!" decorated with hearts, stars…and were those…people holding hands?

He let out an involuntary moan and buried his tousled head in his hands.

"Now don't be nervous, dearie. I'm sure you'll make friends," His mother said, reaching back to pat his spiky hair reassuringly.

His father made a noise that could have been a snort, but quickly managed to disguise it as a cough, rustling his newspaper busily as they pulled into the parking lot.

----

"I love it here already!" Sora's mom proclaimed as they walked up the grassy path to the main part of the camp, dragging Sora's extensive amount of luggage behind them. "Those counselors seemed like so much…so much _fun_, didn't they, Barry?"

Sora, on the other hand, was trying to repress his recent memory of being assaulted by tangerine maniacs, one of whom he could have sworn had referred to him as 'kiddo.'

"Sure, mom," he said, trying not to grit his teeth. _Oh, just wait. I will go out and party every night at college for this, and make you send me money for food and drugs and…and cookies…._

Still ranting inwardly, Sora was barely paying attention as they approached the large, straight-out-of-the-box Lincoln log cabin that dominated the center of the camp. All around him, green fields stretched in all directions, ending in shady forests. Everywhere they walked they passed more teenagers- most looking as grumpy as he was, Sora noted- and distraught parents. One mother was wailing loudly nearby; Sora forced his face to remain carefully blank as they passed her. What had he gotten himself into?

Inside, the main cabin was dark and shadowy, a harsh adjustment from the bright sunlight. Sora quickly joined the nearest queue, wishing this whole experience to be over already. More orange-clad counselors were prowling around the inside, smiling and extending tanned hands for parents to shake. He looked up and saw another sign; this one, to his absolute horror, had daisies as its prominent theme.

He was absurdly thankful when they reached the front of the line; at least it spared him the pain of trying to make small talk with his parents ("What a lovely sign! What a lovely tree! What a lovely block of wood!").

The woman with the ponytail looked up at him from behind her desk and asked, "Name?"

He gave it to her and watched as he cross-checked the long list in front of here. "Right, here you are. Signed up for the rock-climbing trip? You'll be heading out to in a couple of days with your group, but while you're here you'll be in Cabin 13, right across the park." She handed him a glossy map, indicating a brown square marked with the number thirteen. "You can head over there now, after you say goodbye to your parents," she said, flashing a sympathetic smile to his mother behind him.

"First time at camp?" She said, turning back to Sora.

"I'm 18," he muttered under his breath.

"Really? But you don't look…."

_Not this again…." _Bye mom! Bye dad!" Sora deliberately interrupted, turning and awkwardly wrapping his arms around his parents. "See you in a week!"

"Call us! Write!" His mother said dramatically, cutting of his oxygen as she threw herself around the small boy's neck. Sora gestured frantically to his father behind her back, who pulled her off quickly.

"Behave," was his dad's only comment, as dragged his wife away by the sleeve.

And then Sora was alone.

Sighing and resigning himself to a week of hell, he turned and began to walk out the door into the breezy sunlight.

"Wait! You forgot your shirt!" came a voice from behind him.

He turned, only to be blinded by something orange and cotton that came flying like a projectile into his face. Grimacing, he pulled it off and saw the words; "Camp Ares: Fun, Friendship, and Adventure!"

It was the beginning of a long day.

----

Cabin 13 turned out to be a miniature replica of the main cabin; tucked securely into a woody clearing, it was composed primarily of whole logs, a wrap-around porch, and a few warped windows dotting the outside.

Hoisting his bag onto his shoulder, Sora sighed and ducked through the shadowy entrance, inwardly bracing himself for the worst. _You _will _get through this. If you can handle chemistry and your mother, you can handle anything_…_right?_  
But, surprisingly, the cabin was quieter than he had expected; there were a few kids wandering around looking bored, and low murmurs of conversation from behind the dozen doors that branched out from the main area. He heard a _fwoosh_ from the rear; the bathrooms, he assumed.

_Indoor plumbing. This place may not be so bad after all. _

Running a hand through his messy brown locks, he approached the only adult in sight, another ginger-clad man in his twenties.

"Hi...uh…I'm Sora. They sent me here?"

"Sora…." the man muttered, running a finger down the list. "Here you are, little man! Down in the Banana room, three doors on your left."

"_Banana_ room?"

"What, you didn't hear about the theme? Ours is fruit! It's to promote inter-cabin unity, you know. So just head on down past Pomegranate and the Mango, it's impossible to miss. And I'm Billy, by the way. Just park yourself back here when you're done unpacking!"

_Where did they get these people? Woodstock?_

Weakly returning Billy's sunny smile, Sora turned and scanned the rows of doors until he found the one marked, "Bananas." He pushed open the door gingerly, only to find a single-bunk room, close and plain. Sitting in a patch of sunlight was another boy, around Sora's age, with short blond hair and blue eyes. As Sora stepped into the room, his mouth curled into a sarcastic smile.

"Are you my fellow banana?"

"Deeply against my will…" Sora said under his breath, throwing his pack up onto the unoccupied bunk.

"Awe, cheer up. You know we got the best name. Think of the possibilities for sexual jokes."

Sora laughed in spite of himself. "I'm Sora."

"Roxas," said the other boy from his perch on the bed. "First time here?"

"Yeah, you?"

"No, I'm a Camp Ares veteran. I've moved up all the way from Strawberries." Roxas said dryly.

"Ouch," Sora laughed. "Tell me, does it always feel like begin warped back to fourth grade?"

"The feeling wears off eventually. _If_ you're lucky," Roxas said, eyes twinkling.

"Thanks…I think."  
Sora was just reaching for his bag to unpack when Billy stuck his head in the door. "Hey, boys! All introduced? Good, then let's skedaddle up to the main yard for some getting-to-know-you games!" He withdrew his head with a final beam, and they could hear faint strains of whistling.

Sora and Roxas looked at one another. "Like I told you…eventually." Roxas said, with a look of barely contained laughter on his face. "Well…come on. We'd better _skedaddle!"_

Sora couldn't resist throwing a pillow at him.

----

Tracing his path back up the main cabin actually turned out to be fun; Sora hung back with Roxas and talked, getting to know the other boy. It turned out they were very similar; they were both the only child in their family, stubborn, and incredibly sarcastic. _At least one person here is sane_, Sora thought ruefully, just as his group rounded the bend to take in the sight of the large, grassy field. His jaw dropped in spite of itself.

There were what seemed like hundreds of kids dotting the verdant expanse in front of him; girls, boys, and adults were milling about, laughing, talking, playing. Some had broken off into little groups; one group of boys had scrounged up a soccer ball from somewhere and had started a vicious game as some squealing pre-teens ran out of the way. The counselors were eagerly trying to set up a name game with some unenthusiastic-looking victims, and a large group of girls were in a circle giggling, playing clapping games.

Roxas followed his gaze to the squealing girls. "You want to go over there, Sora?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "It may be just me, but I didn't take you for a patty-cake enthusiast."

Sora wrinkled his nose in horror. "I'm not! Well…I mean…I know how to play and everything, but…."

At the look at Roxas' face, he shut up immediately.

"No way," he finished, firmly.

Roxas laughed, much Sora's relief. "I'm just joking with you. Paranoid much? C'mon, let's go find some of my friends."

Grabbing Sora's sleeve, he ran into the crowd, pulling the smaller boy along with him. Many people stopped to stare as they passed by, more than a few shouted, "Hey, Roxas!"

Sora was beginning to feel abjectly uncomfortable.

It seemed like forever before they made it over to the group of boys playing soccer, who paused in their game to run over and clap Roxas enthusiastically on the back. The blond boy just half-smiled and returned the welcomes, leaving Sora to hover uncomfortably on the outskirts of the crowd.

After a minute of light punching and shouts of, "It's been too long, man!" Roxas' blue eyes flashed over the scene in front of him, taking in Sora's position on the outside. The other boy was clearly too shy to introduce himself. Well, he might as well amend that. "Hey! Guys, this is Sora!" Roxas shouted over the din.

One, a blond with wild hair, turned and looked the Sora up and down, not bothering to conceal his smirk. "And how old is he? Fifteen?"

"Eighteen, actually." Sora muttered under his breath, not meeting the older boy's piercing gaze.

"Hey, lay off, Hayner. He's a friend. My fellow Banana, actually." Roxas said, playfully butting the boy in the shoulder.

Hayner snorted, rolling his eyes. "Hey, it's better than being in Tiger-Lily. I swear, a fourth grade girl named these cabins."

"And I always thought you were a Daffodil man, myself," came a female voice from behind him. He stepped aside, and Sora could plainly see the speaker; a girl, around his age, with red hair and a pretty face. Her blue eyes flashed as she took in Sora, but then her gaze traveled back to Hayner. "Are we going to play soccer, or are we going to have a deep discussion about our favorite flowers? Let's go!" She said, tossing the soccer ball she had been holding back on the ground. Hayner and the others let out a mock-battle cry and chased after her, leaving Sora standing on his own with Roxas.

"Another friend of yours?" He said, watching the girl as she expertly passed the ball down the field.

"Oh, that's Kairi. She's been around here for ages, always playing with the boys. Don't get on her bad side," Roxas said with a small grin. "She may look little, but get her mad…."  
As Sora watched, she whipped the checkered ball around Hayner, 'accidentally' tripped him in the process. He landed face-down in the dirt.

"I can see that."

"Don't be scared of them. Kairi's a teddy bear. And Hayner will be challenging you to wrestling matches before nightfall." Sora looked at him, confused. "That's how you know he likes you." Roxas clarified.

Just then, a shrieking noise stopped the game. The teenagers turned to face a taller, older counselor who held a megaphone in her arms. "Ok, kiddos! Now that we're all properly introduced, let's head off to dinner and our super-special-beginning-of-summer-campfire!" She said, stopping to draw breath. "Don't be late!"

The word 'campfire' had never held a particularly happy place in Sora's mind.

"Should I be scared?" He asked Roxas as they joined the mob moving toward the main building.

"Only if you're allergic to corny songs."

Sora groaned.

----

And that's the end of chapter one! Also, just to be completely clear...this is NOT, i repeat, NOT a SoraxRoxas fic. It is also not a SoraxKairi fic, SoraxHayner fic, RoxasxKairi fic, or RoxasxHayner fic. Or any combination of the above.

**Next Chapter: **Who is that boy with the green eyes at the campfire? Why does Roxas hate him and his redhead friend so much? And why, for the love of god, are these counselors so insane?

Thanks for reading! Review? For hugs?


	2. Kumbayah?

Alright, chapter two is UP.

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuritating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts. If I owned Kingdom Hearts, there would be like, twenty. No joke. I'd stand over the programmers all day and be like, "ANIMATE MORE SORA RIKU GOODNESS FOR ME!"

Hence, I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Coincidentally, I also do not own the song Kumbaya or anything by Kelly Clarkson. Bummer.

**Author's Note: **This little creation of mine will contain slash (though, sadly, only hints for the next few chapters). If you don't like it, then you are very obviously in denial. Come over to the dark side!

**Reviewers:**

Did I mention this nifty little feature? If you leave me a funny/interesting/psychotic review, I will feel obligated to respond at the beginning of the next chapter. So make me laugh and get your name in the story!

PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED ON THE FIRST VERSION OF THE FIC:

**Ramen and Hickey:** Yeah, I know about the Kairi thing. I never liked stories where she was all hung up on Sora and crying and depressive. Kairi's cooler than that (though, admittedly, never as cool as Riku).

**Scarabsi: **Aww -blush- thank you very much! And I have fixed it; now the story is on my homepage. (as long as the website doesn't flip out at me again O.o)

NEW REVIEWERS:

**Rae and Arakni: **I actually _was_ in a cabin that had fruit as its theme. I think I was in grape or something harmless like that, but I remember thinking, "How much would it suck to be in banana?"

**Gogo-chan:** -palm to forehead- Thanks for pointing that out. I always have little grammar errors like that. Trying to fix them, but as I'm writing this on only a few hours of sleep, expect to find more stuff like this…

**MyHiddenStory: **Cupcakes, huh? Now that's a death threat I haven't heard before. A for originality!

**All you other reviewers: **I love you all. Your comments make me smile.

I think I've rambled long enough. Let's meet Riku!  
-------

Twilight was just falling in sapphire waves as Sora exited the mess hall, tired and sleepy. The thick, warm food felt heavy in his stomach; it had looked as unappetizing as his cafeteria fare back home, but he quickly discovered that, although lacking in presentation, this food was _good_.

Now all he wanted to do was wander back to his cabin and curl up in a sleepy ball, but instead he was following a chatting Roxas and Kairi up to a gaping path in the forest, Hayner following behind.

Sora had sat with the other boy and girl at dinner and had to admit that Roxas had been right; Kairi had perked up at once whenS Sora admitted to owning a copy of the Pirates of the Caribbean DVD, and he had won Hayner over by beating him in five successive arm-wrestling matches. "You're stronger than you look," the bigger boy had said with a grudging look in his eyes, and Sora had known everything would be okay between them.

But his thoughts were yanked back to the present as he noticed they had started down a dark, winding path into the heart of the trees, which some thoughtful counselor had decorated with real flaming torches and paper lanterns, propped up every few feet. They gave the scene a warm, close feeling; many eyes sparkled and skin glowed golden as the throng of teenagers moved as one through the moonlit trees, talking and laughing.

Sora saw his destination before he reached it; halfway down the path he could faintly make out a crimson blur against the shadowy encloses of the trees. Mystified, he followed along the trail until he could hear the snapping and popping of many logs being consumed by flame, and then the trail opened up into a wide clearing, situated under the starry sky.

The bonfire in the middle roared hungry and orange, big enough so that Sora could feel the warmth on his face, even standing far away as he was now. Kairi, Hayner, and Roxas moved around him; only then did he notice that there were dozens of squat logs ringed around the main fire. He followed them hesitantly and took a seat near the front, as the other campers, voicing their pleasure, took seats around him. He shot a glance to his left; was it his imagination, or did the other three look strangely excited?

"Hey! Hey, everyone settle down!" A female voice boomed over the swollen crowd, and many voices fell silent at once. Sora located the source of the voice, a steel-haired, tough looking old woman wearing one of the characteristic orange shirts. She had her hands on her hips as she prowled a path around the fire. One unfortunate kid who was trying to toast a marshmallow was unpleasantly surprised as his stick was snapped in half, the marshmallow falling in gooey clumps from the end which the counselor held. She was grinning, and not in a friendly manner.

"Well, welcome to another year of Camp Ares; Fun, Friendship, and Adventure! Some people look all too familiar, and others I've yet to see, but I'm sure I'll be acquainted with all of you by the end of the summer, one way or the other. To all the people who are wondering who I am, my name is Janet, and I am director of this camp. I've running of this place for fifteen long years, ever since it first opened its doors. Back then it was an all girl's camp, and a lot quieter, too, but since now I see a lot of pubescent males grinning back at me right now, I feel it's high time to go over the rules of camp."

"First of all, we'll go over the basics, which some of you still seem to have trouble grasping. You must remain with your group and or in your cabin at all times, or at least have counselor supervision. That means no wandering into the middle of the woods because you 'lost your shoe' or 'couldn't find the bathrooms.' I've heard them all, so nothing's gonna work with me but the truth. No smoking, no drugs, no alcohol, no smoking, no setting things on fire, no obscenities, and no bullying, taunting, hazing, or any other harassment. And yes, dunking people in the lake does count."

"Now, onto the more specifics. Despite what your friend may tell you, it is not camp practice to climb on the roof cabins, nor is it sportsmanlike to hang the opposite gender's undergarments from the flagpole, however popular it may be. There is no swearing at counselors, calling counselors names, hitting counselors, hiding from counselors, or otherwise assaulting counselors in any way. I don't want a repeat of last year. And most importantly…however much your…erm…hormones get away from you, if I catch you doing something improper, the excuse, 'I'm getting something out of his eye,' will _not _work on me. You have been warned."

Roxas looked over and saw his smaller friend looking slightly stunned, his blue eyes wide and mouth agape. Leaning over, he laughed softly and said, "Don't worry. She's serious for the first three days and then she quiets down. And hiding from the counselors is practically a _ritual_."

Sora, confused already, gave him a weak smile before Janet started up again.

"So this is how this week is going to work. Tomorrow, you'll break into the groups you signed up for. Groups leaving for trips will leave two days from now and return on the last day of camp, while the rest of you get to deal with me for a whole merry week. Other than that…your individual counselors will explain the schedule."

"Now, I think I've talked enough," Janet said, and for the first time, she smiled. "I'm sure you all want to get on with the beginning-of-year-campfire…."

Everyone cheered.

She grinned back at them and moved out of the way, making room for a smaller, wiry-haired man who was carrying an acoustic guitar. He pulled a log bench over near the fire, where everyone could see him, and without so much as an introduction, broke into song.

_"Kumbayah, my lord…_

_Kumbayah….._

_Kumbayah, my lord…._

_Kumbayah…." _

Sora, frozen in absolute terror, could not think of anything but, _Oh my god. So it's true. EVERY camp sings this song!_

He looked to his left, and was shocked to see the three tough individuals he had met that afternoon swaying and singing at the top of their lungs.

_"Kumbayah, my lord…_

_Kumbayah….._

_Kumbayah, my lord…._

_Kumbayah…." _

Roxas looked over, grinned, and whacked the younger boy on the back affectionately. "Come on," he whispered, as the rest sang on. "Don't think about how cheesy it is. Just sing, and have fun with it."

_Have fun with it?_

Sora listened to the other teenagers around him; every single one was singing, however horribly, and the music from the guitar was strong and loud. Hesitantly, his voice cracking, he tried to join in.

_"Kumbayah, my lord…_

_Kumbayah….._

_Kumbayah, my lord…._

_Kumbayah…" _

Hearing the smaller boy's first warlby strains, Roxas flashed him a thumbs-up. Encouraged, Sora sang louder, soon rivaling the very loud girl and two boys on his left in volume, breaking into a crescendo just as the song ended.

Sora soon found himself singing along to a whole host of songs he wouldn't be caught dead listening to; corny camp-pride chants, oldies, even a country song he didn't remember knowing the lyrics too. But here he was, bobbing his head and shaking his shoulder and waving his hands….

_What's happening to me? Am I turning into…one of them?_

But he didn't have time to consider that, because the campers, bored of songs their parents had listened to, had just broken into a chorus of Kelly Clarkson melodies, and he didn't even have time to breathe as he sang along happily, dozens of teenagers joining in. He thought Kairi and Hayner might be having a contest of who could sing louder and more horribly, but that could just be their normal personalities. Even Roxas, who he had already pegged as a metalhead, was humming along. The mood was infectious; he found himself laughing as he cast his gaze around all the bright, happy faces.

Then his eyes settled on the one person who wasn't singing.

The boy was sitting directly across from Sora, and Sora could barely make him out in the light of the flickering flames. From what he could see, the other boy was tall and slim, with long, silver hair. _How weird…how often do you see people withsilver hair?_

There was another boy with red hair sitting next to the silver-haired one; he was wearing all black and dancing around like a maniac. As Sora watched, curious, the first boy leaned across and began to whisper in the other boy's ear. Sora didn't take his gaze away, his curiosity growing. But it was just his luck that at that precise moment, the silver-haired boy turned and stared directly at him; icy aquamarine eyes bored into his own.

A blush flush across his cheekbones, Sora hurriedly yanked his gaze away and instead chose to look at the logs of the fire, weakly beginning to sing again. A few moments passed before he dared himself to look up again, but he quickly tore his gaze back down; the other boy was still staring fixedly at him.

_What, did I offend him by looking at him, or something? It's not a crime!_

He looked up for a third time, meeting green eyes once again.

_Why is he still looking at me? Should I stop looking? But he's the one who's staring! Great. He's probably the camp bully, and I'm going to get beat up tomorrow for looking in the wrong place at the wrong time._

This thought crossing his mind, Sora leaned over to Roxas and whispered hurriedly, "Who is that guy, with the silver hair? He keeps glaring at me."

Roxas' mouth stiffened and he looked up curtly, his line of sight settling on the mystery boy. He snorted and a derisive smirk settled onto his calm features. "Over there? Those two are Riku and Axel, the camp assholes. They're rich and snobby as hell and pretend they don't like any of us, but they've got their own little following. Fan club, more like. We've tried to be nice to them, but Riku's about as responsive as a rock, and Axel…." his eyes wandered over to the redhead, who had resumed his jerking dance, "is just a spaz."

Roxas stopped his tirade and looked at Sora, curiosity replacing animosity in his eyes. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. He just…um…looked mean, that's all."

"Stay away from them," Roxas said with finality, and turned his attention back the roaring blaze.

When he was sure the blond boy wasn't looking, Sora snuck another gaze across the fire. But the silver-haired boy was looking away.

------

-End Chapter Two-

I know, I know. I called Riku an asshole. He gets better, I promise. Axel, on the other hand, doesn't get any less spastic. Sorry.

**Up Next: **Maybe Roxas was right when he said stay away…those boys are _grumpy_.

Review? Please?


	3. Name Games

chapter three, chapter three….

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, and it's ever so heartbreaking. Feeling a pout coming on.

**Author's Note: **You know, I didn't really like Riku in the first game. I know, I know, but it's the awful truth….I was a sora/kairi shipper.

–screams- -dodges sharp objects- -runs and hides-

**_BUT_ **after some heavy rehab and seeing Riku and Sora's reunion on KHII (winkwink) I have turned over a new leaf. A much cuter, slashier leaf. Which brings me to my point: This fic contains slash. If you haven't reformed like me, you might want to stop reading this and go…do something about that. Yeah.

**Reviewers:**

**MyHiddenStory**: First cupcakes, now cake? You're making me hungry. But I am super happy that I have been the recipient of one of your chocolate cakes. If only it wasn't virtual…

**AngelStarFire Hikarist II:** First of all,awesome name. I did notice the smoking thing…and the fact that I made someone's favorites list made me do a little happy dance. It was very exciting, let me tell you.

**RyukoGirl: **That review was just ASKING for a mention up here. And Riku is totally an asshole in a good kind of way, and I'm really excited that someone out there is just as much of a spaz as Axel and me when I've had too much sugar. YAY!

**ChaosDreamer: **Unfortunately, Riku's going to be a snob for a pretty decent amount of time. But who doesn't love Riku attempting to be aloof? But he'll come around…how can he resist Sora? He knows he can't. He's Riku.

Anyway: here's part one of day two, and part two will be up very soon, depending on how quickly I can dig myself out of this pile of homework I have to do….

-----

The next day started too bright and much too early for Sora. His happy-go-lucky, carefree attitude at the campfire had started to fade away, and now he was just sorely missing the days when he would wake up, sleepy and content, at ten past noon. Seven o'clock…what were these people thinking?  
Then again, his fatigue could have something to do with the fact that he hadn't been able to fall asleep after the campfire. Too high on excitement and the marshmallows they had toasted after the songs, he and Roxas had talked for awhile about stupid stuff; their parents, school, what colleges they were going to in the fall, exactly how much partying they planned to do once they got there. But even when the other boy gradually fell silent and Sora lay alone, staring at the ceiling, he couldn't seem to settle his restless mind and fall asleep.

This camp experience had already proved to be much different than he had expected. He had never dreamed that he would have been hanging around with friendly, popular people like Roxas and Hayner, or that he had stepped right into the middle of what appeared to be a bitter camp rivalry. The boy with the strange eyes, Riku….Sora couldn't imagine what he had done to make Roxas' ice blue eyes narrow with so much hated, but all he knew was that he didn't want to get caught in the middle. Still….the other boy had been staring at him…

Now, coming out of the breakfast hall (his stomach full of pancakes and syrup) he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and tried to banish the thoughts from his mind. He was here to have fun, and to tackle a few rock walls. Period.

He meandered sleepily through the chatting throngs of teenagers and wound up next to Roxas, Kairi, who were chatting about group assignments, and Hayner, who was glaring off into the distance. _Defiantly not a morning person._

It seemed as if the entire camp was sitting, kneeling, or lying down in the grassy valley, clustered expectantly around the grassy boulder that served as the meeting point. Every face was tipped toward the distant clump of counselors, who were, to Sora's relief, dressed in normal clothes again.

"Wonder what group we get this year?" Roxas muttered under his breath, kicking a pebble idly at Hayner.

"I dunno. But we'll be in the same one. It's just a matter of who else is…." Hayner said darkly.

But they had no further time to ponder that, because all eyes had swiveled to watch Janet effortlessly pull herself up the imposing boulder and stand on its lip, waiting for silence, which fell astoundingly quickly.

"Good morning," she said, simpering. "Everyone ready to find out who they spend the next week with?"  
Half-hearted laughter all around.

"I'll skip the formalities. Let's get started. Staying here at camp, in the Badgers…" She rattled off a list of names, and Sora, listening intently, breathed a sign of relief as he heard none of his friend's names. He couldn't imagine what he would do they were separated, and he had to try this whole 'making friends' thing all over again.

"And that's the Otters. Next, the Falcons, leaving on a trip to northern Maine and the White Mountains, we have Roxas, Hayner, Sora, Riku, Axel, and the only female courageous enough to brave this amount of testosterone, Kairi. You'll be with Alysa and Doug, so hurry up over there."

"At least we're not bananas anymore," Sora whispered to Roxas, but then his mind screeched to a halt. _Wait. Waitwaitwait. Did she just call stalker-boy's name?_

Roxas' eyes had narrowed almost imperceptibly, and he didn't respond as he joined Kairi and Hayner in walking across the long stretch of field to where their two counselors were waiting for them. Sora hurried to keep up, his mind working frantically. _This can't be good._

_---------_

Their two counselors, a woman and a man, led them a little way from the main group to the border of the expansive woods. The girl took a seat on the nearest stump, crossing her legs and surveying them all with a little half-smile that Sora couldn't peg as being sarcastic or sincere. She was brunette, with a few freckles and large blue eyes.

Her co-counselor moved to stand behind her, and with a shock of recognition, Sora discovered that his other counselor was the wiry-haired man who had played guitar the night before, at the campfire.

_At the campfire._ Sora ran a hand through his messy spikes and shot a nervous look to his left, where Riku and Axel were sidling into the group, smugness written all over their faces. Sora hurriedly looked away before those aquamarine eyes could settle on him again.

When they had all settled, with much arm-crossing and glares across the circle, the woman spoke from her perch on the log.

"Hiya. I'm Alysa, and as the crazy woman on the rock announced, I am your new counselor. Note how I said counselor, not babysitter. Far as I'm concerned, my job is simply to stop you from killing yourselves, because then the camp would get all hot and bothered about liability and damages and that would make my life, in turn, pretty crappy."

Seeing the incredulous looks around her, she smiled; a nice smile. "Aww, don't worry, kiddos. We'll like each other, I think. And if not, there's always corporal punishment."

"Alysa!" The other counselor said reproachfully.

"What?" she said innocently. "They're almost all grown up. They don't want to hear about our goals for the summer and how we're going to make such a kickass team. Though how 'bout our name?" She said, turning back to them with eager eyes. "The Falcons isn't bad. Last year I was in charge of the Mongooses, and let me tell _you_….."  
"Ignore her," the other counselor said hurriedly. "I'm Doug, and I'm your other counselor. And the whole point of this trip is to get to know one another better, so I think we shouldn't just blatantly _ignore_ all the camp mottos…."  
"Mottos, pshaw. Though if you insist on playing the touchy-feely counselor role, I promise not to let the kids make fun of you too much. Right, kiddos?" She said, swiveling back to face her six charges, all of whom were looking at her with rather stunned expressions on their faces.

"How about a getting to know you game?" Doug said, trying his best to pretend his co-counselor hadn't just spoken.

"_Awesome_ idea, Doug! Let's play a name game…" Alysa said, and there was an evil glitter in her eye.

"All right," the man said, eyeing her warily. "Do you know any good ones?"

"Let's play the one where you say the name and something about you."

"Like what?"

"Boxers or briefs?"

"No."

"Favorite swear word?"

"No!"

"Best rum drink?"

"_NO_!"

"Fine," Alysa said, looking not at all fazed. "I've got one you can't possibly turn down. Favorite holiday and why."

Doug eyed her suspiciously for a moment, clearly seeking the hidden clause. "That's it?"

"What, don't you trust me?"

"Fine," Doug grumbled. "If you'll be quiet. And afterward, I get to choose the game."

"Deal," Alysa said, and turned to Roxas, who was, unfortunately, closest. "Your turn, my dear. Your name and favorite present-fest."

"Roxas," the blond boy said. "And I guess…Halloween. I like the fake blood, and dressing up."

"Bet you do," a sonorous voice said, and Sora turned just in time to see Riku turn to Axel, whispering something in his air. Both boys laughed softly.

Alysa cast them a look out of the corner of her eye and clearly chose to ignore them. "You next," she said, staring fixedly at Hayner.

He shrugged. "Hayner. Christmas. Presents."

"A communicative one, I see. Alright, you with the crazy hair. Tell us your deepest, darkest, secrets."

Sora gulped. "My names…um…Sora. I like Christmas too, I guess." And it was true- it was one of the few times a year he could tolerate his family for more than half a second. Christmas was when they all got along, they were peaceful…but he couldn't say that in front of all these strangers.

"Another present-monger. Keep going," she said, her gaze swiveling to Kairi. "Ah! My fellow female! Glad to see I'm not alone."

"Kairi, and I like Columbus day. Soccer tournaments, you know."

"Sweet." Alysa responded with a smile, and Sora could instantly see who was going to be the favorite. Her gaze flicked to Axel, who hadn't said a word so far.

"My name is Axel- got it memorized? Anyway, I like the Fourth of July. Fireworks! Wanna see my burn marks?" He said, beginning to pull down one black sleeve.

"That's…quite alright." Alysa said, looking a little taken aback in spite of herself. Roxas, on Sora's left, grew visibly grumpier.

"I can't those idiots got put in our group," he muttered angrily to Sora.

But Riku, the boy with crystal eyes, was next, and Sora could feel himself involuntarily turning to look at the boy as he answered, sitting cross-legged with a sarcastic twist to his lips.

"My name's Riku, and I like Valentines Day."

"Dare I ask why?" Alysa said dryly.

"What can I say? I really like….chocolate." Riku said, and his eyes flicked over to where Sora was sitting, open-mouthed. His face took on a smirk.

"How…fascinating. Alright, my curiosity is satisfied. Doug, I believe you wanted to play another game?"

"I was thinking more like a team-building exercise, and you guys are going to be really excited, I swear. It's going to be like a contest, so I'll be breaking you into two groups, and Alysa, we're going to play, too. The rules are simple; I have some matches with me, and whoever can build a working fire fastest wins. Some basic campfire skills mixed in with a fun, friendly activity!" He said with vigor, not noticing Alysa rolling her eyes behind him.

"So let's see….I think we'll have Hayner and Kairi with us, Alysa, and that leaves…Sora, Roxas, Riku and Axel!"

He threw a very surprised Sora a pack of matches and pocketed one himself. "Alright…let the games begin!"

Roxas' glare was mutinous, and Riku was sneering back in an equally cold manner. Axel's gaze was fixed on the matches held in a very nervous Sora's lap.

_This could be interesting…._

------

Yes, of course all six KH characters are in the same group. And OF COURSE Roxas and Sora get paired with Riku and Axel. It's the fanfic way.

Anways, that's chapter 3. Shortish, I know, but I am super-tired and will be posting the next chapter, which is basically the conclusion to the contest/the rest of the day VERY SOON. Like, either tomorrow or sometime this weekend.

**Up Next: **Sexcapades? Diving Contests? More of Alysa's unique take on counseling? What's not to love?

Reviews make me happy. Being happy makes me motivated. Being motivated means I write faster. Writing faster means we get to the fluff faster. So…Review?


	4. Sexcapades!

**duh duh dum...and here it is...Chapter 3 and 1/2!**

Since this is really like chapter 3.5, I'm going to skip all the witty jargon I usually put here and save it for chapter four, so we can continue with the story right away. Refer back to chapter three for summary/author's notes/disclaimer/random insanity- _but be warned_, this chapter also contains some bad words –gaspity gasp-

Anyways, hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it; this is my favorite chapter so far –wink-

---

The woods were light and airy in the midsummer afternoon, but all that was lost on the boys picking their way through the tangles of roots and vines. Tottering, Sora tried to balance a pile of thesticks and branches in his hands, and thought glumly to himself, _At least we get to go climbing tomorrow._

His team had not spoken a word to each other yet. Sora looked around for them; Roxas was somewhere nearby finding more sticks, and Riku had taken it upon himself to cart over some of the heavier logs. Axel had disappeared with the matches. Sora was slightly worried, but he hadn't heard any screams thus far, and was taking that as a good signis .

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a flash of silver hair. The other boy had his back to Sora, bending over to pick up another log, before turningand beginning to head back toward the fire-pit,a frown lining his pale face.

Sora wondered why the other boy was so grouchy all the time_. Didn't he want to be here? Why couldn't he just tell his parents he didn't want to go, if he hated this place so much?_

Sora, contemplating hard, didn't realize his sky-blue eyes had gone blank and unfocused, or that they were still focused on the silver haired boy. But someone did.

"I realize that I _am_ devilishly good looking, but please, this is getting annoying."

Sora snapped out of it with a start, only to find a scowling Riku standing in front of him, one hand on his hip.

"Wha…what?" the smaller boy stammered out.

"This is fifth time I've caught you staring at me.. I don't know whether you're terrified of me or just want to do me, but I'd appreciate if you stopped. I've got enough stalkers as it is."

"WHAT?" Sora yelled, almost dropping his pile from surprise.

"Gross, Riku. And why would he want to touch you, anyways? You might be catching," Roxas said, sidling up from the cover of the trees to stand protectively in front of Sora. "We're probably at risk of getting an STD just from being within two feet of you."

"You wish, shrimp," Riku said with a lazy smile. "And what about you? Who wouldn't want to date you, with snappy comebacks like that?"

"Shut up, asshole."

"Make me."

"Maybe I will!"

They were nose to nose, eyes burning with hatred, before Sora decided to intervene.

"He's not worth it, Roxas," he said, pulling the other boy back by his shoulder. "C'mon, let's get this over with."

Smoldering, the three boys turned their backs and began the long process of gathering more wood to add to the fire.

-----

Axel, as it turned out, had been in the fire-pit the whole time, and was only slightly more charred than when Sora had last seen him. Unfortunately, he had left them a grand total of two matches to get their fire started.

"Great," Roxas sighed, overdramatic. "You'd think a pyro would know how to start a fire, but I guess you really do fail at _everything_ you attempt."

"Oh, shut up," the redhead said, and grabbed the matches out of the other boys' hands. "Watch and learn."

Axel struck a match with expert precision, and then brought it slowly to the heart of the pyramid-shaped pile of logs they had erected. Eagerly, the orange tongues of flame stretched out to lick the dry leaves at the bottom of the triangle, worming their way to consume the smaller sticks, and then the bigger logs. Soon, the fire was crackling merrily, a smaller version of the bonfire of the night before.

"All bow the Master of the Flames," Axel said, brandishing an imaginary scepter.

"More like Master of the Freaks," Roxas said under his breath to Sora.

"Again with the clever comebacks! Anyone ever tell you to become a comedian?"

"Look, Riku, maybe its better that we didn't talk. Let's just wait this out, and then we can go back to ignoring each other."

"Oh, that's right. You're grouchy because you're away from your girlfriend."

"My _**what**_!"

"Kairi," Riku said, a malicious smile spreading across his handsome features. "Don't tell me you haven't put the moves on her. If she wasn't socially inept, even I would…"

"AHH!" Roxas cried out with horror, clapping his hands over his ears.

"So I see I've hit a nerve. So tell the truth- you like her? I could help you out, if you want," Riku said, looking the picture of friendly innocence.

"Because you're such a godammned saint."

"When I see a friend in need…"

"And exactly _when _did you get a personality transplant? Besides, I don't like her. She's a friend…that would be way too weird…" Roxas said, then trailed off. "Why am I telling you this?"

"Because I'm such a caring, understanding person?"

Roxas snorted.

"Fine. It's too late, anyways; my prediction is that she'll be all over Hayner by the end of the summer. Unless your little friend here takes the initiative." He said, smirking.

Sora felt his hands curl into fists involuntarily. "I'm not little!" he burst out.

Riku's icy eyes swiveled over to rest on him. "Not that I think she would like you, anyway. Kairi usually goes for guys with a little more meat on them."

"What's your problem? I haven't done anything to you!" Sora said angrily. _He was not little! He was EIGHTEEN!_

"Forget it, squirt. Now, where were we?" Riku said, his gaze trapping Roxas once again. "Oh, that's right. Your sexual experience, or lack thereof."

Roxas sighed noisily. "I'm really not in the mood for recap of your latest sexcapade, thanks very much."

"Oh, but I think it would be educational for such a virginal figure like you. Wouldn't it, Axel?"

Axel looked up once, his emerald eyes resting on Roxas for a brief moment, then shrugged his assent and bent over the fire once again.

"So who was it this time? Melissa? Claire? April?"

"A little here, a little there.A medley, if you will."

"You're disgusting." Roxas said with conviction. "I have no idea why anyone in their right mind would touch you with a ten foot pole."

"I'm a stunning teenage boy," Riku said, shrugging. "Hormones, testosterone. I'm a slave to my libido. Poor me."

"You're so full of shit," Roxas said, turning to Sora. "Right?"

Sora thought back. He couldn't answer the question truthfully, because by the sounds of things, Riku had done more things than he could ever dream of. The problem was, he had never had a really serious girlfriend. There were always little things, here and there, but he hadn't even gotten to first base with anyone, and he was almost eighteen. It was, as a matter of fact, a little embarrassing, and certainly not something he was about to share with the group.

Looking at Roxas, he shrugged his assent, careful to avoid Riku's pericing gaze. _Wouldn't want him to think I was a stalker, or anything._

Riku snorted loudly. "And to think, Axel and I were actually going to have fun on this trip. Until they went and put you killjoys in with us, and no girls to boot. Well…there is always Kairi…."

But as Roxas leapt up to strangle him, another voice piped up from behind them.

"Well, I can see we're all going to get along nicely."

Alysa stood behind Sora, a smirk on her lips and her hand on her hips. "We'll have to work on that, won't we? I'll leave that to Doug; he was always more into the 'we should all get along' part of camp than I was."

"Anyway, your fire looks nice and flamey, and now I'm bored of educating you, so I thought we'd head down to the lake for some swimming. Go get your suits on, and meet me down there in ten minutes. Otherwise, I will have to come hunt you down, and you don't want that." She said, with a bit of an evil grin. "No, you don't want that at all."

The boys stood up and began to brush themselves off, exchanging glares. Sora and Roxas went in one direction, and Riku and Axel in the other. Roxas was silent, but Sora was beginning to understand his words at the campfire last night. _Stay away from them._

Sora was beginning to wish he had.

-------

The water was freezing, but Sora didn't mind. After spending the whole morning next to a burning hot fire, a douse of cool water to the face was _exactly _what he needed.

Too bad he wasn't alone.

"CANNONBALL!" A scream echoed throughout the lake, and a redheaded blur plunged off the raft, making it shake. The huge splash got Sora right in the face, and he sputtered, trying to wipe his eyes as he swum out into the middle of the icy lake.

"Nice one," Riku said lazily, pulling himself onto the raft. He was dripping wet. Sora watched as the streams of water running down his body plastered his wet hair to his back and made his navy shorts cling to his legs, liquid pooling along his abdomen and lining the ridges of his stomach muscles.

Sora looked down at his own flat, boyish chest and tried not to scowl. _Stupid Riku._

Sighing, he slicked back his messy spikes and pulled himself onto the raft.

"CANNONBALL!"

Just in time to get soaked again.

He wiped his face angrily and stared at the two grinning faces bobbing in the water below him. "You're getting me wet!"

"But you're already wet, Sora," Riku said with a smirk.

"Where's your buddy? We could get him wet too," Axel said with a similar expression, looking around.

"Don't even try it," came a dry voice from behind him, as Roxas pulled himself up the ladder. "And I thought we agreed _not_ speaking was best?"

"Sounds good to me," said a very drenched Hayner, coming to sit beside Sora. "I'm getting tired, anyway. We've been swimming for hours."

"I don't think Kairi and Alysa are going to get bored anytime soon," Sora said dryly, pointing toward the shore, where the two females were chatting aminatedly, side by side. Doug lay a few feet off, his nose already burnt red and looking rather annoyed.

"Well, let's keep jumping, then," Riku said to Axel. "Unless, of course, certain pansies can't handle it…."

"The only thing I can't handle is watching your lame excuse for a cannonball," Hayner said, shielding his eyes against the sun. 'Looked more like a pirouette, to me."

"And those swan dives you've been doing are the very _essence_ of masculinity,"Riku said dryly.

"You're one to be talking, you…!"

"HEY!" Alysa yelled from the shore, and all five's heads shot up. "WE CAN HEAR YOU ARGUING FROM HERE, SO CAN YOU FIND SOME WAY TO SETTLE THIS WITHOUT TORTURING THE REST OF US?"

"Fine. It's on," Riku said, his eyes glittering coldly. "If you're so good, why don't we just have a contest? Biggest splash wins."

"Fine," Roxas said quickly, springing to his feet.

The other two pulled themselves onto the raft, making it bobbing slightly in the current. Pine trees ringed the distant shores, and the sun beat down on their bare skin.

"Ready?"

"Less talking, more jumping," said Axel, rolling his eyes.

Glaring, Roxas turned and got a running start, his bare feet beating a rhythm on the wooden planks of the dock. Before he plunged off the edge, he pushed off in a high jump, wrapping his arms around his knees before he hit the water with a wet_ smack_.

Everyone was soaked by the spray.

"I'd say good luck," Roxas said, popping to the surface,"But there's not much of a point, is there?"

Without a word, Axel copied his motions and took a flying leap off the raft. His pale body flying into the waves, water shot upward around him in a splash that was easily as big as Roxas' had been.

"Who's laughing now?" Riku said as Axel's bright head broke the surface of the water.

"There's still Hayner," Roxas said, his arms crossed across his wet chest. "And I still hate you."

"What?"

"I thought we had gone too long without saying it."

"Oh. Right then."

Hayner's splash was large, but not big enough to match Roxas' and Axels.

Roxas' button-blue eyes fixed on the smaller boy. "So Sora….it appears you're our last hope. Please tell me you're the county cannonball champion, or something?"

Sora gulped. Truth be told, he had never been very good at this. "Sure," he lied. "Sure."

Riku covered his laughter with a hand. "Are you kidding me? What does he weight, ninety pounds?"

"Yeah, which is why it will be even funnier when he whoops your ass." Roxas said with confidence, though his eyes belied his worry.

Sora's stomach dropped.

He moved to stand at the edge of the raft, wondering how he should do this. Just jump, or back up and take a running dive? Would this work better if he did a bellyflop? He winced at the thought, and as a result almost missed the warning cries from behind him.

Before he could react, two large, slippery hands had fixed around his small waist, and before Sora could turn, before he could even gasp, he found himself plunging headfirst into the waves.

Spitting out water, he looked up to meet laughing aquamarine eyes. "Couldn't resist…" Riku said with a sarcastic smile. "Better luck next time, Sora."

Sora opened his mouth to retort, but Alysa cut him off once again. "I SAW THAT, AND AS A COUNSELOR I FEEL I MUST TELL YOU I AM DISPLEASED. BUT I'M TOO HUNGRY TO PUNISH YOU, SO CONSIDER YOURSELVES LUCKY. GET YOUR BUTTS BACK IN HERE, ITS CHOW TIME."

------

At dinner that night, Sora contemplated his day as he munched on his food. Roxas and Hayner were laughing beside him, and he tuned out of their conversation. It was clear they hated the other boys, but at times…their disgust would ebb a little, and they could tease the other two, stand to be around them for more than five minutes.

Sora wasn't sure if he felt the same way. Riku's talk at the campfire, his insults, pushing him into the lake, insulting him…he didn't know how anyone could be that bitter and mocking, and he had never met anyone so…so resentful, with nothing to be resentful about.

Bringing his eyes up from an almost empty plate (swimming did nothing to curb Sora's insatiable appetite) he surveyed the cafeteria before his eyes came to rest on the other two. Axel was picking at his food, looking uncharacteristically mellow, while Riku….Riku smiled, shark-like, at the girl sitting on his lap.

Claire, he thought Roxas had called her. So this was one of the three girls he had mentioned.

As Sora watched, she flipped her long brown hair out of her face and tweaked the soft plane of Riku's nose. He smirked back at her and smoothly pushed the back of her head down to meet his lips, but before they could touch a counselor hurried over and yanked the girl away. Claire gave Riku a little wave, giggling, as she was carted outside for a lecture. Riku smiled lazily back, seemingly unperturbed, and turned back to his meal with abandon.

Sora looked away, his appetite suddenly lost. For some reason, he felt sick to his stomach. But then again, he had never liked PDA.

And he sure as hell wasn't looking forward to spending an entire week with these maniacs. Who knew how much more he would have to take?

He would find out soon enough.

------

Mwahaha. Being evil is ever so much fun. Yes, yes I know. Riku's in denial. Don't fret- they'll all come around, soon enough.

Anyway, I can tell you with certainty that the next chapter will not be up for at LEAST a week, because of two pressing concerns: one being the hell commonly referred to as finals, and the other is the displeasure of my painting muses. They are complaining that I have been favoring the writing muses, and are getting rather annoyed. And when they get annoyed, they storm off and I can't paint for like, a month. So I need to work on that.

**Next Chapter: **Leaving for the big trip! Our eight lovable, insane, tempermenal characters...all alone, in a car, for long hours…the possibilities are endless. And I think you be happy to know we also have **Sign of Sexual Tension Number One.** Yes, I label them. So GET READY!

**And one little side question**: is there any way to get a story into C2 communities, or do the people who run them choose? Should you like, message them? Haha I'm a total newbie to this site, so I don't know exactly how this works...and I would really love for this story to be in one. So if you know of any/ can answer this question, tell me in a review, prettyplease.

Me Write. You Read. You Review. Simple, see? –grin-


	5. Quiz Time!

Next chapter! YAY! And it's a long one...

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. Not Kingdom Hearts, not Riku, not Sora, not Roxas, not even Axel. Just Alysa. Figures I get the crazy one.

**Author's Note: **OHMYGOD. Twenty one reviews in ONE WEEK? AND I get to be in the AkuRoku C2, which is one of my favorite C2s EVER?

You guys have outdone yourselves. You make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Let's keep it up, shall we? –wink-

**Reviewers: **

**Lily Vendrum: **Yes, my counselors are quite nuts, and that makes me excited. Can't you just see Axel being the kind of pyro that is proud of his burn marks?

**Sekre: **Hahaha. Oh yes, Riku is a total man-slut. But he can change…right? We're unfortunately leaving the bunk beds behind, so I think the proper question is who will get to share a sleeping bag first? My lips are sealed.

**Abnormally Weird Person: **Oh, the cheesiness is totally intentional. And also, sadly, based off true events (mostly. hehe)

**NaruFreak: **Ohmygod. That review MADE my day. I have a friend I think you would really get along with (she makes great owls). Maybe sea-salt ice cream will come, but defiantly not Olette and Pence. I'm having enough trouble splitting dialogue between eight people…ehhh…

**My Hidden Story: **O.o I didn't even know they MADE biscuits with mints in the middle. How awesome is THAT?

**Kyrene Once Blood Roses: **Unfortunately, not all camps can be populated by fun slashy boys. Only my imaginary camps. In my head. Yes. And who could resist Riku? No one. Well, Sora couldn't. Mwahaha.

**apie: **to everything you said: oh HELLS yeah.

**Alicia: **of course I'll do complimentary ones too. But if you leave a psychotic review, it makes it easier for me to think up witty commentary to reply here with. Yay!

**AngelicOrqueil: **I have almost no idea what you said. But bonus points for being the first reviewer to leave me a rap. Yay for you!

Alright, let me tell you something; it was really fun to write this chapter. My ideas keep getting better and better, and I already have some of the most important –coughcough- scenes played out in my head. So thanks for giving me an opportunity to write this…it makes me happyful. Yes, I realize that's not a word.

And to begin with a rude awakening…

------

If Sora had thought seven o'clock was bad, he was woefully under-prepared for wakeup the next morning, just as dawn was brushing the tops of the pine trees.

"Bananas? You have got to be joking," a hazy voice rang out. Sora frowned into his pillow and pulled his blankets up around his ears. _Stupid dream voices. Always being so noisy and female._

"Hey! Banana boys! Wakey wakey!"

Something cried out from the bunk below Sora, and there was a sound like a lot of weight hitting the floor.

"Ooops. Sorry, Roxas. Didn't mean to scare you."

"You're not allowed to be in here." Roxas' voice swam up to Sora's ears. It sounded muffled, as if he was speaking into the floor.

"How else was I supposed to get your sleepy asses into the van? Speaking of which…"

Sora, who had been yawning and preparing to turn over and fall back asleep, was rudely awakened as first his blankets, then his pillow, were snatched away.

"Hey!" he protested with eyes still closed, reaching out blindly. "Gimme those back."

"Not in this lifetime, kid."

Sora cracked open ocean-blue eyes to see….Alysa?

"GAHH!" he said, jumping backward so fast he hit the opposite wall. He twisted around frantically, trying to find something, anything to cover up his bare chest and boxers. For the love of god, WHY hadn't he chosen pajamas?

Alysa, meanwhile, was trying her best not to laugh as she watched her small charge thrash around, finally ripping the bottom sheet off his bunk and wrapping himself in it, staring at her with wide, indignant eyes.

"Alysa! You're…you're…this is a boy's cabin…and I'm not _wearing_ anything!" he squeaked indignantly.

"Nothing I haven't seen before, kid. But if it's such a big deal I'll go wait in the van. Be out in five minutes, or I barge in here despite your state of dress- or rather, undress. Got me?"

"Yes," said Sora, rather grouchily.

"Good. And you might want to help you buddy up. I seem to have…erm…scared him."

"Not scared. I was surprised. _Surprised._"

"Sure….." Alysa drawled, then swept through the door.

Sora pulled himself to the corner of his punk, peering down. Roxas lay facedown on the floor, blankets twined around his slim frame. With only a tuft of blond hair visible, he resembled a rather fuzzy caterpillar.

"Ummm…." said Sora, covering a giggle with his hand.

"Not. One. Word." Roxas said, pulling himself up and grimacing.

Sora had only been up five minutes, but this trip was already interesting.

-----

When Sora and Roxas emerged four and a half minutes later, sleeping backs thrown over their shoulders and yawning, they were met with the sight of what appeared to be a large gray whale parked in front of their cabin. Doug and Alysa leaned against the outside, Doug chatting nonstop to Alysa, who was staring off into space. Her gaze swiveled around to meet her two sleep-tousled campers and she cracked a grin.

"Good timing," she said with a grin. "Off to get the other two head cases!"

"Alysa, I really don't think we should refer to our campers as…"

"Just get in the car, Doug."

-----

Sora and Roxas clambered into the van and took the middle seats, right behind a very sleepy, and very non-communicative, Kairi and Hayner. Kairi was staring out the window with a vacant expression in her eyes and Hayner had already conked out again, his head titled back and faint snores issuing from his open mouth.

"They're...umm…not morning people," Roxas explained in a whisper as Hayner mumbled something in his sleep and swatted an imaginary enemy.

"I don't think I am, either," Sora mumbled, pushing past his friend to claim the window seat. If he was going to be stuck in this car for eight hours, he at least wanted something pretty to look at.

They drove a down another beaten path for a few sleepy minutes, pulling to a stop in front of another cabin. Everything was quiet; it was the epitome of a peaceful, sleepy morning.

"I'll go get them," Alysa said with a wicked grin, and shot out of the car before Doug could stop her.

A few tense minutes later, the idyllic woodland atmosphere was broken by a scream.

"Holy SHIT! ALYSA!"

"Now, is that anyway way to greet your counselor, Axel?" came Alysa's sarcastic drawl, and Sora could almost picture her wide, shark-like smile.

Doug covered his face with his hands.

It was a sleepy and chastised Axel that emerged after a few more minutes, followed by Riku, who looked, to Sora's infuriation, fresh as a daisy. The two piled their bags in the back and, with a few sleepy scowls in their direction, took their seats in the last row of the van, directly behind Sora and Roxas.

Alysa hopped into the front seat, looking very pleased with herself.

"And I thought you guys had it bad with bananas. These poor souls have been dubbed 'the woodchucks'."

She shot an evil grin into the rearview mirror. "Everyone buckled? Good. Then let's get this show on the road!"

She pushed the clutch into 'Drive' and stepped on the accelerator. Rocks and dirt shot out from beneath the spinning wheels as they shot down the main road and out of the camp, onto the main access road. Doug, in the shotgun seat, was hanging on to his seatbelt and peering worriedly at the speedometer.

"Alysa, I think you should know the speed limit here is…"

"SO!" Alysa said, deliberately cutting him off. "Welcome, one and all, to Velma the Van. She is large, she is old, and she is grouchy, rather like my Aunty Myrtle. I hope you will enjoy riding in her, since she will be your home for the next fun-filled eight hours!"

"I think someone lost their virginity back here," Axel said dryly, inspecting a curious stain on the cushion.

"Better ask Riku. Anything look familiar? The upholstery, the...ceiling?" Roxas said with a bitter smirk, twisting around to face the silver-haired boy.

"I don't suppose we're allowed to attack fellow occupants?" Rikuasked coolly, returning the glare.

"That would be a big no-no. Save it for when we make camp; you two can be our entertainment tonight. Our very own WWF! Riku, you might want to use scare tactics. Roxas doesn't handle loud noises very well. "

"Alysa!"

"Oh Doug, get used to it."

_It was going to be a long trip_, Sora thought to himself as he watched Doug gulp and reach for his handhold as Alysa took a particularly aggressive turn. Roxas and Riku were still glaring behind him. Axel had scooted forward so as to be farther away from the stain, and as a result he and Roxas were now practically bumping heads. Only disaster could ensue.

_Yes. It was going to be a -_very- _long trip._

_--------_

They managed to maintain a quiet peace during breakfast, seeing as their mouths were too full to insult each other. Munching on a strawberry pop-tart, Sora rubbed the sleep from his eyes and was just congratulating himself on a full half-hour without a fight when Roxas piped up from next to him, "Can we change the station, please? This song is making my head hurt."  
Sora, who had been vaguely humming along, listened closer and discovered it was none other "Hollaback Girl," by Gwen Stefani. He recoiled in horror.

"I rather like it," Axel said, bobbing around to the beat and accidentally head-butting Roxas in the process.

Holding his forehead, Roxas cursed. "Well, no one care what you like, so it's all settled then. Alysa?"

"Oh, but we haven't even gotten to the Bananas part. I thought that would be your favorite."

"Alysa...PLEASE?"

She heaved a dramatic sigh. "Fine. If you insist."

She twiddled the knob on the radio and an Atreyu song filled the loudspeakers of the van. Immediately, a calm smile settled over Roxas' features and he slid back in his seat, humming and occasionally mimicking the loud, roaring noises that were coming over the loudspeaker.

They all sat for a few moments in awkward silence as the main singer screamed and yelled and made weird guttural throat noises that made the whole car shake. Kairi's eyes were getting progressively wider and wider, and Sora could have sworn he heard the singer scream something about stabbing…or pigs…or stabbing.

Hayner still hadn't woken up.

Predictably, it was Axel who spoke first, shouting to be heard over the din.

"Is anyone else receiving strange impulses to choke people?"

"Yes. You." Roxas said from beneath gritted teeth.

"Besides that…is anyone picking up mild hints of…violence? I don't think this is a good influence for us, Alysa," Axel said, working to keep his face straight.

"You're probably right," Alysa said with a sign, looking more relived than anything. Despite Roxas' protests, she twiddled the dial some more, and Sora could hear the first roaring strains of his favorite Green Day song. Before he could tell her to leave it here, he heard an unpleasantly familiar voice say, "I love this band! Let it play, Alysa!"

Sora turned around, flabbergasted. _Riku_ liked the same music he did?

"Figures you would like them," Roxas said with a shudder.

"And it figures that you would like metal."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just an observation."

"What are you observing?"

"Nothing."

There was a moment of silence as the two glared at each other. Axel placed a cautious hand on Riku's shoulder, looking at Roxas once more. "Hey, ease up. Long ride ahead."

"I just always thought you were more of an…_emo_ person myself." Riku said with a deadly glint in his eye.

"WHY YOU…!"

They grappled furiously for a few moments with Sora and Axel trying to pull them off each other. Doug was waving his hands frantically and uselessly, and Alysa was shouting very loudly, "GUYS! I SAID, WAIT UNTIL TONIGHT!"

Kairi snorted dismissively and turned to look back out the window.

And Hayner still hadn't woken up.

They scuffled for a few more seconds before Alysa, reaching the end of her very short rope, said, "FINE! IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT IT, HERE!"

She twisted the radio dial viciously, and something that sounded suspiciously like a folk guitar started to play.

They were all stunned into inaction by the noise, so when the warbly-voiced man started to sing about his horse, his dog, and his woman, it was perfectly, and horribly, audible. Roxas, who had an arm draped around Axel's neck, attempting to push him off, froze in horror. Riku sat stunned and open mouthed, and Sora was trying to plug his ears with his shirt. None of it worked. The horrible melodies went on, and on, and-

Cut off.

Alysa smiled sheepishly from the front. "That was one punishment even I couldn't take."

"We should…we should probably leave the radio off, for now," said Doug weakly.

Alysa nodded and glared sternly back at her charges. "One more incident like that, and it'll be techno. And you might want to detangle yourselves," she said with a small smile.

Roxas, suddenly noticing where his arm was, yanked it back with enough force to send Axel slamming into the window.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"Sorry," Roxas said, not looking very sorry at all.

They all fell into a moody silence, doing everything but staring at each other.

"I can't believe we got stuck with you two," Roxas said after a moment, burrowing his tousled head into his hands.

"Right back atcha," Riku said, distaste lining every feature.

"Hey, kids, kids! Those are not nice words…" Doug said earnestly, staring back at them.

"You bet they aren't." Roxas mumbled under his breath.

"And as a group, we should learn to get along! What do you say?"

No one said anything, just stared at him in disbelieving silence.

"Ok…" Doug said, running a hand through his curly locks. "Let's try this. I learned it at counseling seminar. Roxas, you go first. Tell me exactly what you don't like about Axel and Riku. Then Riku will go. Then we will attempt to sort out—"

"I think Riku is a pompous asshole who can't see for even _one_ second that other people might have other opinions, hobbies, or interests. He is so self-centered, he can't stop flipping his goddamn hair in the wind, and he INSISTS on bragging about each and every sexual encounter he has. And Axel is a spaz who goes along with it."

Doug blinked.

"I'm kind of hurt, Rox. I'm don't think I'm a spaz…"

But Riku cut his redheaded friend off. "Well ROXAS is a self-serving, 'I am holier than thou' stubborn metal-head who won't listen to people when they try to apologize, won't grow up and take things like a man, and refuses to stop squealing with disgust whenever I tell him about girls. And Sora…Sora looks like he's thirteen, and he's giggly, and _also_ goes along with it." Riku's aquamarine eyes settled on Sora, then flicked away.

"Well," Doug said, a bit breathlessly. "Now let's analyze these problems and…"

"Oh, give it a rest." Alysa said from her perch behind the wheel. "You asked for it, now give it up before you really get in over your head."

Doug raised a finger, looked as though he was about to speak, decided better of it, and slumped back in his seat. And the car was silent again.

Sora stared at out the flat gray expanse of highway, and the forests stretching away beyond that. There was a crack in the glass that obscured most of his vision, but he really wasn't focused on that.

He felt as if he had been slapped. He knew Riku and he had never exactly been friends; far from it. But when he had said those things, something inside Sora had wrenched apart. He didn't know quite what it was; he could only assume it had something to do with the fact that he had never been around someone who clearly hated him so much. And he didn't know why he cared. Sure, he had been thinking, for a few minutes, that all the insults and teasing were friendly, but it was clear that they ran much deeper than that. _And, _he thought, stiffening his shoulders_, I don't care. He and Axel can go over and be mature and older looking, and Roxas and I can have fun by ourselves._

There was silence in the car for another hour.

-------

Finally, Kairi had decided that looking out the window was not quite captivating enough for her attentions and had reached into her bag, emerging with the latest issue of a popular teen magazine. She dove into it eagerly, leaving Sora with a view of the cover girl, a bubbly blond who encouraged him to try her summer hairstyles- hairspray free!

_No thanks._

Roxas and Riku still were pretending the other didn't exist, and even though Axel and had weakly tried to initiate conversation, the glares Roxas shot him shut him up pretty quickly. The mood in the car was positively stormy, and they had another three hours to go.

Alysa peeked in the rear-view mirror to see four grumpy faces staring back at her. Then her gaze landed on the teen magazine Kairi was reading. One particular headline jumped out at her. She smirked; a terrifying sight.

"Hey, Kairi!"

Kairi's auburn head popped up from between the pages. "Hmm?"

"Secret girl chat time, now. Get up here," Alysa said, patting the space behind her.

"Ok…" Kairi said, unbuckling her seatbelt and sidling up until she was crouching behind Alysa's chair. They had a whispered conference as Sora watched, wondering what they were up to. When they broke apart, they wore identical grins.

_Uh-oh._

"Hey, guys!" Kairi announced, waving the magazine sinisterly. "I have an idea for a game."

"What sort of game?" said Riku warily.

"A fun one."

"Uhuh."

"And anyone who doesn't want to play, gets to listen to Vanilla Ice," said Alysa from the front seat.

They all shuddered in unison.

"How do we play this…game?" Riku said. It looked as if he was in pain.

"Well, the thing is…" Kairi said, and flipping through the glossy pages of her magazine. "It's more like a…quiz."

She held out a page. Bold pink lettering on the top proclaimed, **_"Opposites Attract! Who will you fall in love with? The Complete Quiz!"_**

She winked at the four terrified faces in front of her. "So, who's first?"

-------

"Roxas, you are _totally_ meant for a Sagittarius man!"

"Shut up, Axel."

"But then again, I'm a Capricorn, so…"

"Shut UP, Axel!"

"Touchy, touchy. Just like a Leo."

Roxas ground his fists in frustration and tossed the magazine back to Kairi. "Next question. Let's get this over with," he said, taking deep breaths.

She smirked at him and read on. "When your man asks you to come out for a bite, you immediately hope that your dinner dates takes place in….

A- A diner- you like the casual atmosphere

B- A steakhouse- you're not afraid to dig into a big hunk of meat!

C- A five star restaurant- you have expensive tastes

D- The bedroom- why even go out?

"Does anyone else notice anything…_sexual_, about this magazine's quizzes?" Sora said, feeling very uncomfortable.

"Shut up and answer the question."

He withered under Kairi's gaze. "Umm…a steakhouse."

"Sora likes his big hunks of meat," Axel said with a wink, then yelped in pain as Roxas hit him.

"You next," Kairi said, her gaze boring a hole in Roxas. Alysa, in the front, was cracking up so hard she was swerving into the next lane. Doug had his hands over his head and was muttering something; probably a prayer.

"A diner," he said grudgingly.

"Funny, me too!" came a voice from the back.

Roxas buried his head in his hands. "Axel…please…just shut up."

"And that leaves Riku…" Kairi said, turning toward the silver haired boy. "Let me make a bold guess…is it D?"

"Actually, no."

Sora and Roxas let out simultaneous snorts of disbelief.

"You don't want to get food on the sheets," Riku said, mustering up a look of innocence. "Probably B or C."

"Oo…Riku also likes his big hunks of me—OWW. Why does everyone keep hitting me?"

"Because you wont. Shut. Up." Roxas said, slamming his head into the cushions for emphasis.

"Well, that's the last one," Kairi said, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. She appeared to be counting on her fingers, brow wrinkled in concentration.

"It looks like she's doing rocket science," Sora whispered to Roxas.

"Well, this is pressing information," Roxas said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Alright! Everyone quiet for the results!"

"I can't wait!" Alysa said, bouncing on her seat. The car gave a shuddering moan and she stopped immediately, looking around warily.

"Axel's perfect man is no pushover! He'll stick up for himself in any situation, and while he's perfectly content to take charge, he'll let you lead once in awhile as well. Though he may appear to have a temper, he's a real softy inside."

"My man sounds so dreamy!" Axel said, and mock-swooned out of sight.

"Riku…your perfect man is a sensitive charmer. Though at first you wouldn't be drawn to his cute gifts and simple charms (you usually like the bad boys!) you will find yourself hooked within the week. Never let this cutie go!"

Riku rolled his eyes.

"Roxas…your man is a fun-loving adventurer! Though you might be turned off by his boundless energy at first, you'll soon come to love his undying abandon for you and his determination to get you to that perfect show or dinner date."

"I can hardly breathe for excitement," said Roxas dryly.

"And Sora…your perfect man is the unapproachable rebel. Even though at first he may seem distant and aloof, his true feelings will shine through, and you'll never be happier than when he's taking you to meet his skate buddies or ripping down the slopes."

"I don't even skateboard," Sora wondered aloud to himself.

"Don't worry, your dream boy will teach you," Riku said with a grin.

Sora shot him a glare.

"Are we done now?" Roxas said, ignoring them.

"Yes," Alysa said. "And I don't know about you all, but I really have to make a visit to the little lady's room, especially after that." Without waiting for an answer, she turned off the highway on a Maine exit and followed the road for a few miles, until they came to a scenic point by the water.

When Velma rolled to a stop, there was a mad push for the doors as the smell of fresh air beckoned. Everyone rolled out at once and caught their breath, staring around.

They were at a scenic point by a lake. They were on a low cliff, about eight feet above the water, that curved into a placid cove a few yards down the shore. Birds chirped somewhere above, and the air was warm and humid. And most importantly, there was a tiny little Port-a-Potty off to the side, which Alysa darted into with a gleeful yell.

After six hours in the car, Sora was more than glad for an opportunity to stretch his legs. He wandered away from the others (Hayner had finally woken up, to a rousing chorus of, "You're not dead!") to see the view more clearly, rocks crunching under the soles of his shoes. He took a place on the edge of the cliff, trying not to get too close to the unprotected edge.

It was truly a beautiful sight. The lake stretched out, glassy and calm, seemingly into infinity, framed by the tall, spiky plumes of verdant green trees. The bright noon sun burned down from the sky, warming his face and bringing the color back into his cheeks.

So focused was he on the sights that, for the second time in two days, he failed to notice someone sneaking up behind him.

So when two hands clapped around his waist, he was most defiantly surprised.

He struggled and kicked and wiggled, but the large hands wouldn't let him go. He was moving closer and closer to the short drop….and he closed his eyes, prepared for the splash.

That never came.

He opened his eyes to find his feet still on solid ground, and two hands still wrapped tightly around his waist. He didn't move. _What was going on?_ The hands were large and warm…

He twisted around, only to meet Riku's aquamarine eyes once again. The other boy had a curious expression on his face that Sora couldn't quite read. Instead, he stared into Sora's eyes, the same color as the water behind him. A long moment passed. Sora's breath was coming short- from shock, he supposed.

"Riku…" Sora finally managed to gasp out. "What are you doing?"

Riku's hands fled his waist with alarming speed, returning to his pockets. Riku's face took on its characteristic smirk. "Well, I was going to drop you in again. But since you were being such a baby about it…"

Sora opened his mouth, confused, but before he could reply a shouted voice met his ears.

"HEY! YOU'RE HOLDING UP THE VAN! STOP DANCING AND GET BACK HERE, WE STILL HAVE TWO HOURS TO GO!"

Alysa.

Riku turned away without a word and began to jog back to the van. Sora, blushing only a little bit, followed without hesitation, deciding he would figure _that_ out…whatever_ that_ was…later.

Alysa surveyed the two boys running back toward her and smiled a little bit, a twinkle in her eye.

There was still so much fun to have.

------

Mwahahahah –evil laugh-

There's your sign of sexual tension #1. Many more to follow.

About the music thing- I acually likethe Atreyu.I just happen to have friends who don't, so I know the reactions.

About the quiz thing- Hahah. I'm so sorry. I just had to put that in there. Not like the results were _too_ obvious, or anything...

So Riku and Roxas really hate each other…I don't really know why. I get the distant idea that it was a ruined friendship or something, but I'll resolve that later…for now they just get to bicker like idiots. Yay!

**Next Chapter: **We arrive (finally)! Setting up camp, pitching tents, cooking dinner on an open fire…all more good opportunities for chaotic fun…

Reviews make me smile. You want to make me smile, don't you? Well, don't you?


	6. This Is For The Lake!

Chapter Six is **HERE**!

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Not a wee little bit. I simply borrow my favorite characters and mess with their minds. Mwahah.

**Author's Note:** Every chapter, you guys exceed my expectations with the feedback. And it is a beautiful thing.

In other news, I caved to temptation and started to replay KH2 on Proud Mode. Apparently, (according to my brother, anyway) I'm very interesting to watch when I play Kingdom Hearts. I grin whenever Sora is on the screen, I frequently express the desire to give Roxas a hug (because, face it, that kid needs it more than anyone), I screech excitedly whenever Riku appears, and I made a high-pitched noise inaudible to human ears _whenever_ I see Axel. I also apologize profusely to him when I fight him. Because I love him so much. He's my special favorite -huggles Axel-

**Reviewers: (and there are lots this time)**

**Sekre:** Oh, Kairi and Alysa are most defiantly up to no good. _Most_ definatly.

**apie**: Pitching tents does contain many opportunities for mischief ( as we will soon see in this chapter –wink-)

**Kyrene Once Blood Roses: **You review made me feel all special inside. Thanks so much for all the lovely compliments. Doug does get his way (indirectly) at the beginning of the chapter, so we can all feel a little less bad for the poor guy. At least, for a little while.

**Maki Totakiyami: **Ooo, thanks for the many reviews. –happy smile-

**XxXChainsXxX**: Thanks a lot –grin- I like Alysa, too. I don't know where she came from, exactly…probably some dark recess of my mind that was better left untapped. Oops.

**MyHiddenStory: **I tried really hard to make this chapter as fluffy as possible without ruining the sexual tension. Sora and Riku get to have some fun, at least…though you may end up hating Riku by the end of this chapter. And Alysa. And Doug. –chews on cyber cake- thanks again for reviewing!

**Veritas4Eternity: **Riku is most certainly getting there…and Axel is already there (mostly) Roxas just needs to catch up…now all that's left is at what pace I decide to _make_ them catch up –evil cackle-

**Summoner-of-the-Silver-Wolf: **Me too, to all of that. I actually fell in love with AkuRoku playing the game and came onto this sight looking for those fics…and I found RikuxSora fics…and it made perfect sense to me (and, it makes playing the game again more interesting –wink-). Yay for reforming!

**Raving Sohma: **Fanart? –jumps up and down in excitement- But I can't bring up the website, for some reason. Do you mind sending it again? Prettyplease? I would LOVE to see fanart. LOVE.

**RyukoGirl: **It was totally crazy and funny enough- it made me laugh, at least. Especially the random bologna you decided to throw in there, hahaha. And I love making my guy friends take girls magazine quizzes, too. –evil smirk-

**NARUfreak: **I try to make them long, but I also have many chapters left to go, so we'll get there eventually. Hopefully this chapter is a good distraction. –smile-

Whew. That was tiring. Onto the story….we've finally arrived at the CAMPSITE!

* * *

It was a weary and tense two hours later when Alysa finally screeched to a stop on the rough dirt road that flanked their campsite, a sunny plane of green grass and pine trees. Off to the left, a blue lake sparkled in the late-afternoon sun, the clouds just beginning to take on a hint of pinks and purples. It would be dark within the hour. 

Doug, clambering madly at the passenger door, was first to escape the car, letting out the breath he had been holding all the way up there. Alysa's driving was not the most calming experience, and after briefly contemplating kissing the ground in thanks, he took a deep, cleansing breath, counted to ten, braced his shoulders, and turned to face the roaring, biting mass that was his campers trying to exit the van. Apparently, all of them had tried to get out at once, and now Roxas and Axel were squished into the doorframe and each other, holding up the rest of the bunch.

"MOVE!" came a voice from behind the boys.

"I would if I could!" Roxas yelled back, wiggling in vain. "Axel, move!"

"You seem to be blocking me, Rox."

"Well, somebody move!"

"Stop screaming!" Sora's voice from the rear.

"Make me!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Who said that? C'mere, you bastard…"

"GO TO HELL!"

Alysa came up behind Doug, leaning on his shoulder happily. "Our little angels," she sighed, staring at the chaos with all the pride of a doting mother.

Doug stared at her hopelessly, then took a few tentative steps toward the teeming mayhem. "Guys? Guys?"

"Stop PUSHING!"

"Well, maybe if your leg wasn't around my NECK, we wouldn't have that problem!"

"EWWW!"

"GUYS?" Doug said, voice cracking. No one ever looked up.

"Take it from a professional," Alysa said in a bored tone, striding past him. "Violence is _always_ the answer."

And without further ado, she grabbed Roxas' forearm and pulled.

It was rather like the circus act with the tiny car and the dozens of clowns; once Roxas was released, the rest of them popped out of the van's door like a cork out of bottle. They lay in an ungraceful heap on the grass, panting for breath. Hayner even managed to get in one more punch.

"Everyone okay?" Doug asked worriedly, peering in close to check for scrapes and bruises.

Axel spat out grass. "I think so."

Sora, groaning, pushed himself up on his forearms and looked around, working to prize himself out from underneath Riku, who had landed ungracefully on his legs, and Hayner, who had landed dangerously close to his face. His ribs felt as if they had been punched, he was losing circulation to his left arm, and he was pretty sure some of his fellow occupants had been close enough for him to file a sexual harassment suit, but other than that, he felt fine, and he said so.

"Good," Doug said, relief written all of his face, then turned to give Alysa a half-hearted glare. She shrugged, moving over to help everyone up.

"Ok, now that we're all out of the car," Doug started, turning to face the campsite with his hands on his hips. "We've got lots to do before it gets dark. So I'll need someone to grab the tents, and someone else to—,"

"Look, a lake!"

"Ooh, Alysa, can we go swimming?"

"Can we go exploring?"

"Let's set off fireworks, Alysa!"

"Let's eat, I'm starving."

"SWIMMING!"

Alysa sighed and held up a hand, the picture of matronly reluctance. "I hate to break it to you guys, but Doug here is right. We need to get all this stuff set up before we do anything, or you guys will be freezing, starving, and homeless tonight. And you don't want that, do you?"

"No," the all mumbled, shamefaced.

"Good. Then let's get going," she said, striding over to the trunk. As she passed the rather stunned Doug, she patted his back in a friendly fashion. "Good plan, Doug."

He mumbled something under his breath that she couldn't quite make out. It didn't sound friendly.

"So," she continued, popping the trunk. "I think this will be easier if we break into groups."

She stuck her head among the luggage, rummaging around, and as a result no one noticed the sinister smile that was playing around her lips.

"And that means…" she said, her voice muffled from within the bowels of the car, "there's three things to do. Kairi and Hayner will be pitching the tents, Sora and Riku will be getting the water, and that leaves Roxas and Axel for the fire."

"YES!" Axel said, pumping his fist in the air, then stopping when he noticed the looks everyone was giving him. "I mean…um…fire safety! Smokey the Bear, and all that stuff. Right?"

Roxas covered his face with his hands.

Alysa finally poked her head back out, her hands laden with canvas bags, which she threw in front of Kairi and Hayner, plastic buckets, which were ungratefully dumped in front of Sora, and a pack of matches, which she (wisely, in Sora's opinion) handed to Roxas.

"Everyone ready?" She said. They nodded. "So why are you standing around here? Go!"

* * *

Riku had grabbed one of the collapsible buckets and took off down the winding campsite path, following a rough wooden sign that indicated the well was to their left. Sora quickly grabbed the remaining bucket and ran after his silver-haired companion, cursing softly under his breath. _Why, why is it always Riku and I? _He didn't like spending time around someone who so obviously hated him. 

He caught up to the other boy fairly quickly, but fell back a few paces behind him, a scowl on his face. He still hadn't forgotten his conversation on the car ride up, and weird moment at the lake or not, he still hadn't forgiven the taller boy.

Riku looked back over his shoulder, saw his companion's childish pout, and laughed in spite of himself. What he wasn't prepared for was the way Sora's head shot up, chin jutting out, and the flash of anger in his blue eyes. "What are you laughing about now? I thought _I_ was the giggly one," he said, practically spitting the words.

Riku sighed. "You _still _mad about that?"

"I don't know- you still mad about what Roxas said?"

"I don't let his bullshit get to me so easily."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm not as cold as you."

Riku looked away involuntarily, and when he looked up again Sora was striding at his side, his little face turned purposefully upward to meet his gaze. Aquamarine eyes met blue.

"Why did you say those things about me?" Sora said, more quietly than he had before.

"They were true, weren't they?"

"Yes…maybe…no, and even if they were, it's not for you to say! How would you like it if I said you looked like you were thirteen?"

"I would say you were a liar."

Sora sighed noisily, swinging his bucket from hand to hand. The path was thinning now, coming up to the main part of the road.

"That's not the point. The point is, you don't just say stuff like that to people you've just met. I mean, I haven't done anything to you!"

To his infuriation, Riku's crystalline eyes were flashing in amusement, not anger. "Maybe if you had stayed away from Roxas, things would be different between us."

"So this is all about Roxas, then?" Sora said, confused.

"Mostly. But you are giggly."

They had reached the well, and Riku flung down his bucket contemptuously, reaching down for the rusting silvery handle. He pushed, and a burst of water gurgled out of the end, almost exactly where Sora had been standing. Sora jumped out of the way quickly to avoid being soaked.

Without acknowledging the other boy, Riku grabbed his bucket and began to fill it, the level of the water rising with every pump.

"What happened between you two, anyway?" Sora said, his blue eyes curious.

Riku looked up once, his hair falling in his eyes, then snorted contemptuously and didn't respond.

"Not gonna tell me?"

Silence, except for the gurgling splashes of the water.

Riku had almost filled his bucket; he pulled it out from under the spray and gestured to Sora; his turn. To Sora's surprise, he squatted down next to the well and drew his knees up to his chest, clearly waiting for the other boy to be finished.

"Fine," Sora said, beginning to fill his own bucket. "But if don't you have problem with me aside from my choice of friends, why the grouchy attitude?"

"Did I hurt your feelings?" Riku said softly, and Sora couldn't tell whether he was being sarcastic or not.

"Are you teasing me?"

"Maybe," Riku said, and there was a new light in his eyes Sora hadn't seen before.

"You're not supposed to tease people you supposedly hate," Sora said accusingly, shooting him a glare.

"That's true; but you're an exception. I've felt as though I can tease you from the first time I laid eyes on you," Riku said, beginning to laugh, but his smile was frozen on his face when Sora decided to do something very rash, indeed.

After all, no one appreciates being doused with the contents of a very full, and very cold, bucket of water.

"That's for the lake!" Sora called behind him as he ran for his life, a very soaked Riku in hot pursuit. The empty bucket dangling from his swinging hands, he crashed through the underbrush, gasping for breath, listening acutely for the running footsteps behind him.

_Why had he done that? Well, Riku certainly deserved it. And it had been ever so much fun, after all…_

"SORA!" came the strangled yell from behind him.

"Yes? What is it?" Sora called out teasingly, not slackening his pace a step.

"I. WILL. KILL. YOU."

"Not if you can't catch me!" Sora gasped, running hard for the clearing, which had just come into sight. He could make out Alysa's bobbing ponytail…Kairi's red hair…he was so close…_almost….there_…

Unfortunately, that was when Riku decided to pounce.

Sora, in mid step, found himself being hit with quite a lot of weight from his back, and before he could really register what had happened, he was flat on his back with a very wet, and very furious, Riku glaring at him from his perch on the smaller boy's chest.

_Eeep._

"Now why did you do that?" Riku hissed between his teeth, brushing his wet hair out of his eyes. Panicked, Sora's eyes roved over Riku's face, which was gleaming with moisture, his dark eyelashes shining wetly and framing aquamarine eyes that flashed darker and darker each time Riku blinked. His silvery hair clung in wet strands to his forehead, snaking down onto his shoulders and clinging to his exposed throat, pearly white in the soft twilight.

Sora suddenly realized he had forgotten to breathe. He took a deep, gasping breath, which was difficult, as Riku was sitting right on his abdomen. "Payback?" He suggested, smiling weakly.

Riku said nothing, just growled and trapped Sora in the most piercing glare Sora had ever experienced. He tried to wiggle away, but Riku's legs tightened around his waist, preventing any escape. Sora's breath was now coming in shallow gasps. He tried to look away from Riku's piercing eyes, but they held him fast, rendering him absolutely unable to look away. The spell was only broken when water slid down the smooth plane of Riku's jaw and fell in droplets onto Sora's own forehead, making him blink.

"Riku," he said, trying to keep his voice even and his gaze straight, "you're dripping on me."

"Am I?" Riku said in a low voice, his characteristic smirk settling into place. Slowly, hypnotizing, he reached up one damp hand to circle over Sora's cheek, ignoring the other boys' renewed efforts to escape. Tantalizingly slowly, his finger scraped a trail down the other boy's cheekbone, leaving a trail of moisture behind.

"Ahh! COLD!" Sora yelped, but that was a lie in itself, because although the wetness on Riku's fingers was as cold as ice, the feeling was quickly melted away by the spreading warmth that seemed to flush all the way down Sora's body, the shiver that rolled, thunder-swift, down his spine…

"Oh, God. Don't even tell me. I don't want to know," Alysa's voice came as if through a fog, and Sora could feel her footsteps shaking the ground near his ear. Her freckled face shuddered into focus, right above Riku's. A new clarity settling over his world, he watched her roll her eyes, brandishing the now empty buckets. "You couldn't even get water without attacking each other? This is more serious than I first expected." She shook her head sadly, but if Sora was reading her expression correctly, she didn't look mad…more like…smug?

But she had gone out of his line of sight again, and with a sudden shock, Sora realized Riku had rolled off of him and was following her back into the campsite. He sprang up quickly, trying fruitlessly to suppress the warm flush on his cheeks.

"KAIRI! HAYNER!" Alysa yelled, at near-earsplitting volume. The two, who were no more than three feet away, jumped with surprise.

"Your buddies over here are water-intolerant, apparently, so you're switching. How many more tents do you have to do?"

"Just one," Kairi responded, her eyes flicking between the still soaked Riku and Sora, who looked hopelessly confused. Her eyebrow raised.

"Don't ask," Alysa said quickly, brandishing the buckets. "Now run, be free!" She winked at Hayner's scowl and sent them off with a friendly whack on the back, before whirling on Sora and Riku again.

"I would say you two couldn't possibly get in trouble putting up a tent, but I would only be proving myself wrong, wouldn't I?" she sighed.

"Here," she handed Riku a wooden mallet, "And here," she finished, handing Sora a bag of nails. She gestured to the last tent, a shapeless sack of olive material.

"Have fun," she said with a little trilling laugh. As she walked away Sora could have sworn she winked at him.

* * *

"Let's get this over with before I really decide to kill you." Riku sighed, studying the mallet in his hands wistfully. 

Sora, noticing this, decided it was a good idea if they moved a little ways apart. He scooted over to the opposite side of the tent. He studied the bundled fabric stupidly. How did this thing work? Was he supposed to poke air-holes, or something?

"Knucklehead. Over here."

Tentatively, he peeked around the corner of the tent, where Riku was standing expectantly, hands on his hips. Studying the expression on Sora's face, he laughed. "Don't worry…" he said, his voice sinister. "I won't bite."

Sora had no choice but to follow the other boy's lead and moved to stand next to him, the bag of nails clinking in his hands. "Do you know what I'm supposed to do with this thing?" he said sullenly, holding it out.

Riku rolled his eyes. "You really are thick, aren't you? Put it in the little loop in the fabric, and then I hammer it in. When we're done with that, we put these metal rods in to keep it upright."

'Oh," said Sora, feeling rather foolish. "That doesn't seem bad."

"It's not," Riku snorted, watching as Sora hesitantly planted a nail in the ground, jumping as Riku took the first swing with the mallet.

"Relax," Riku said softly, his eyes flashing. "Sure are jumpy, aren't you?"

"Maybe it has somethingto do with the fact that you're out for my blood?" Sora mumbled, moving onto the next loop.

"Don't worry about that for now…I think I'll wait for the opportune moment." Riku whispered, right by Sora's ear. Sora worked to supress a shiver.

They got through the rest of the tent without incident, until the time came to put in the metal rods. It turned out Sora wasn't quite tall enough to reach the very point of the tent, and Riku was on the other side putting the last nail in. Sora gritted his teeth, looking up at the impossible height.

One thing was for sure; he sure as hell wasn't going to ask Riku for help.

_Can I make it? Maybe if I jump…_

Pole in hand, Sora jumped up, just grazing the top of the tent. The olive fabric slid against his chest as he fell back down, defeated.

_That's it….just a little bit higher this time…_

He jumped again, this time almost managing to hook the pole in before he collapsed in a heap.

_One last time. I'll make it._

He jumped….

"Sora, what are you doing? _OOF_!"

The tent collapsed under a very off-balanced Sora and onto a very surprised Riku, trapping them both in yards and yards of olive-green nylon.

Sora was the first to open his eyes, finding himself buried in the tent. Everything was dark- had he fallen under the fabric? Panicking, he reached out a hand, brushing along the pieces of tent that had settled onto his head. Everything was dark; he reached out again, blindly.

"OUCH!"

Sora yanked his hand back quickly. "Sorry, Riku."

"That was my NOSE! And what did you do? _Why is there a tent on me!_?"

Sora smiled sheepishly into the darkness. "Accident?"

"Oh, I'll give you an accident…" came a low, growled voice, and Sora tried scuttle backward, but the fabric was trapping him…

He was vaguely aware of a large hand on his knee and two eyes above him in the darkness. Riku's breath played across his ear; soft and warm, in the already warm space. Sora could feel himself breaking out into a sweat.

"Sora," Riku repeated, much softer this time. Sora could feel the other boy's long hair; it was tickling his cheek, and the breath was coming closer…

Just as sunlight blinded the two boys.

Doug peered down, worry creasing every length of his face. "Boys? I saw the tent collapse, are you alright?"

"Fine," Sora said in a squeaky voice, shielding his eyes against the sun. Riku was no longer near him; in fact, he had jumped to the opposite side of the tent and was biting his lip, trying to control his ragged breathing. When he saw Sora looking at him, his eyes flashed once, unspeakably furious, and then he got up and stalked away.

Sora looked after him, open-mouthed. "What did I do?" he wondered aloud.

Doug stared at the retreating teen and shrugged his shoulder. "Probably one of those teenage mood swings. Here, let me help you repair the tent."

Sora, confused and hurt, tried not to follow Riku with his eyes as he said quietly, "Sure. That would be great."

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

"We're supposed to make dinner? On this?"

Roxas surveyed the weak orange blaze with his nose wrinkled in distaste. "I think we need a bigger fire."

"But it was you who told me to calm down and stop adding tinder," Axel said, snapping a twig and throwing it onto the blaze.

"Well, yes, seeing as you were about to set your shoes on fire."

Axel sniffed, and threw another few logs on. "If you would only let me have some lighter fluid…"

"For the last time, I'm not letting you within five feet of that stuff. I'm not in the mood to be charbroiled."

"No need to be crabby about it. And anyways, you'd be roasted, not broiled."

Roxas shook his head in exasperation. "One of these days I'm going to see a newspaper article titled, 'Crazed Teen Is Killed When He Decides To Throw Match on Gasoline."

"Oh, that. It's not bad- you just need to be a fast runner."

Roxas groaned deep in his throat and ran a hand through his tousled hair. "Has anyone ever told you you're absolutely crazy?"

"Oh, frequently. It does have a nice ring to it when you say it, though."

Roxas, giving up, turned back to their weakly puttering flames. "Dinner. Dinner," he muttered to himself. "What can we make for dinner?"

"Well, we do have these…."

"Shut up, Axel. I'm trying to think."

"Touchy, touchy. All I'm trying to say is that we have some…."

"Shut UP, Axel!"

"Fine," came a tight voice from his left, and he out of the corner of his eye Roxas saw Axel turn his back and begin to rummage through their piles of luggage.

"What to make…what to make…," Roxas thought hard. He came up disappointingly blank. He ground his fists into the ground in frustration. _How am I supposed to know? I've never been camping before._

Just then, a package of instant macaroni was thrust under his nose.

Roxas blinked.

"Where did you get that?" he said accusingly, turning to face the grinning redhead.

"Well, I was trying to tell you we had a bunch of frozen food. But apparently _my_ craziness interfered with _your_ hearing." Axel said with an easy grin, but his eyes belied a little bit of his hurt.

Roxas sighed and snatched the packet away. "Sorry," he said from between gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that?"

"I apologized, ok?"

"Apology accepted," Axel said, his face sweeping up into his usual cheer once more. "And now, let me show you how to open that thing before you kill yourself." He snatched the packet back from Roxas, who had been wrestling with the plastic wrap. His emerald eyes were fixed on the other boy's startlingly blue ones as he found the easy open tap and pulled the wrapping away in a single gesture.

Roxas scowled, breaking the gaze. "Let's put a pot of water onto boil."

"Good idea, Rox."

"Don't call me that," Roxas said, knowing it wouldn't make a difference.

"Whatever you say," Axel purred, eyes twinkling, before pouring water into a pot and fixing it onto the metal grate with surprising swiftness and expertise.

Roxas, deciding to ignore that look, instead said, "Have you done this before?"

"What, making macaroni?"

"No, you idiot, gone camping. You seem to be…erm…rather good at this."

"Oh, you noticed!" Axel said with delight, clapping his hands as his eyes teased Roxas. "And if you simply must know, I go every year with my friends. Last year we got kicked out," he said wistfully, a blissful smile spreading over his features. "But those fireworks were things of beauty. Don't you feel that illegal things are the most fun?" He said eagerly, leaning in close to Roxas.

The other boy scrambled to get away, and as a result almost put a hand in the fire. Cursing and nursing slight burnt fingers, he turned away.

"Might want to watch out for that. Hand plus fire equals ouchies."

"Thanks, I had no idea," Roxas said resentfully. "Now help me put this macaroni in. We need the mix, and some cheese and milk," he said, reading off the box.

"Naw, just add the cheese. We don't really need the milk."

"The instructions say…"

"Trust me, Rox."

"I thought I told you not to call me that," Roxas said, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Sure thing…Rox."

"I mean it," Roxas said, punching Axel, none too lightly, in the shoulder. "Stop calling me that."

"Whatever you say…Rox." Axel said with a little smile, play-hitting him back.

"Stop it." Another punch, harder this time.

"Make me," Axel's eyes glittered a challenge as he hit Roxas on the shoulder.

"Maybe I will!"

Axel suddenly found himself with an eyeful of soft blond hair, and then the two boys were rolling, punching and clawing and hitting, looking for any other weakness in the other's defense. Roxas grabbed at Axel's long hair as Axel managed to trap one of Roxas' shoes between his own and began kicking it viciously. It could have been a serious fight, seeing as both were prepared to beat the other to a pulp, except for one small factor:

First Axel, then Roxas, began to giggle uncontrollably.

They lay there, hitting and rolling and laughing, for a good five minutes before a very dry voice said. "How's dinner coming along?"

Roxas jumped like a gunshot had gone off and shot off of Axel, landing in a heap a few feet from the fire, which was now emitting copious amounts of black smoke. Coughing, he attempted to control the flames, weakly smiling at Alysa, whose arms were crossed over her chest. "Fine," he lied, smiling widely at her.

Behind him, Axel broke into a coughing fit, then stopped as her gaze landed on him. "Fine," he echoed, his hands crossed behind his back.

There was a beat of silence as she stared at them; Axel working to keep his pleasure off his face and Roxas blushing the faintest pink color. Then she smiled, widely. "I'll set the table."

* * *

After a very burnt dinner and an ever tenser atmosphere, the eight huddled in blankets and sweatshirts around the makeshift fire, staring into its rosy depths as if captivated. No one seemed to want to say anything; they lingered there for perhaps a half and hour in silence before Doug suggested they repeat their goals for the trip, to be met with a lackluster response. Disheartened, he sent them all off to bed. 

"Early morning tomorrow," he said with a stern glare at the retreating backs. "Don't stay up too late talking."

Sora and Roxas, relived, crawled sleepily back to their tent, as did Axel and Riku (who had still not looked at Sora), Alysa and Kairi, and Hayner and Doug to the last tent.

Safe inside the warm green confines of their tent, Sora and Roxas stared at each other for the briefest instant, the events of the last few hours crashing, movie-like, through their minds.

"Night," Roxas said quickly, before Sora could speak.

"Night," Sora echoed, a little relived, and turned out the light. Despite the puzzling questions that were invading both of their minds, both boys were asleep within minutes, soft snores issuing from their open mouths.

But in another tent, just across the clearing, things were not so peaceful.

Riku flipped over and faced the wall, his mind a haze. He flipped briskly through the events of the day, and scowled. Everything was raising questions, questions that did not want to be answered, and it was best to leave it alone; to leave everything alone. _But_, he thought, smiling a little sadly, _I know that will never work. _

It was another few sleepless hours before Riku grimaced, punched his pillow, and then propped himself up on one elbow.

"Axel? You awake?"

"Of course," came the quick reply.

"Listen to me and be quiet. I've got a plan…."

* * *

BOOM. CLIFFHANGER. 

Sorry about that. Just had to do it. Because the next chapter…the next chapter is going to be fun…in a _totally _evil way. That Riku and his plans…

**Next Chapter**: Midnight swim, anyone? And that is all I am going to say. I'll leave the rest up to your imagination.

Reviews are always nice. _Always_….


	7. Midnight Swim

Seven, seven, chapter seven…

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** All Kingdom Hearts characters live with Disney and Square, until I send my writing muses on espionage missions to kidnap them for this story.

So, in other words: Not Mine.

**Author's Note: **100+ reviews! –dies a happy authoress death-

You have no idea how happy you guys made me. When I decided to write this story on a whim, I was going to be happy with ten reviews. A hundred was like the, -this will happen when pigs fly and birds swim and I own KH_- _kind of mark. And you have PROVED ME WRONG. Even though I don't own KH. –pout-.

In other, more ironic, news, I'm actually being employed as a counselor this summer. Let's just hope Alysa doesn't influence my child-care skills.

**Reviewers:** (and believe me- **major** KHII spoilers ahead)

**Sekre: **Are you like my twin? You basically just like told me the story of my Kingdom Hearts existance. I thought Sora and Kairi were so cute in the first game, and when the second one came out I got all excited during those cutsey SxK scenes in the beginning that now cause me to scowl a lot. But then I began to notice weird things; how Sora didn't really seem to care about Kairi begin kidnapped, how he only really wanted to find/asked about Riku in the later worlds, and then of course by the reunion scene I was like THIS IS SO MUCH CUTER! So that's my story, hehe.

**Orangedcgirl: **Okay, this is scary. Pineapples remind ME of Roxas. You sure we weren't separated at birth?

**LaLa: **Those almighty cookies of inspiration were tasty, and I hope you like the chapter too –smile-.

**hatefully: **Um, Riku's new outfit? My thought process went something like this…

_--ooo he's gonna take the cloak off—_

--drops controller--

_GAH. PANTS. YELLOW. MUSCLES. HAIR. **SOOOO PRETTTYYYYY**! _–dies-

**AnimeDutchess: **Um, all four of them on the screen at the same time? I would just pause the game and stare for eternity. Well, not eternity. A long time.

**Kyrene once Blood Roses: **That Axel's a smart one. Probably because he's my favorite. I made him less clueless than the rest of them –evil grin of power-

**Mercury Black: **The battle with Axel? I like, wanted to lose. But then I knew if I lost, Roxas would die. And then I would be sad too. It's like a lose-lose situation.

**alicia: **Oh, you can assume anything fire-related is coming out of Axel's mouth. Can't you see him being the kid who 'accidentally' lights the science lab on fire, or something?

**MyHiddenStory: **OMG, you get to spend that much time in Europe? –is insanely jealous-. But don't fret, it should defiantly be downright full of fluff by the time you get back.

**ChaosDreamer: **I love Alysa too. Fortunately, she won't be ruining moments in this chapter. Unfortunately, someone else will…

**Catrena: **Oh, there's defiantly a story behind the rivalry. I have a basic idea of what it is, and let me tell you- it's gonna be_ good_.

So..this chapter is a little less funny and a little more serious, and I don't know how I did with that...you let me know.

Let's go swimming!

* * *

Sora was having a dream. It was a good dream, with lots of hamburgers and singing leprechauns and rolling pink hills. One of them was even playing a drum, his green hat bobbing merrily as he beat out the rhythm;_ tap tap tap._

Sora laughed and danced along to the beat, but the tapping sounds were growing louder, drowning out the rest of the music. _TAP TAP TAP_.

His brow creased a little. This dream was taking a fast turn downhill; now all the other leprechauns had faded away, leaving just the one who was playing the drum. That one was growing larger and larger, until it towered a full foot above Sora, and it's fiery hair was growing long and losing its color, the face growing pointed and more sharp, a particularly familiar sneer peering down at him from under long-lashed, turquoise eyes…

**TAP. TAP. TAP.**

"Shuttup," Sora murmured, rolling over his sleeping bag and colliding with Roxas in the process. "Just shut up, Riku-leprechaun."

"_What_ did you call me?"

And suddenly, Sora was wide awake.

He was in his tent, half-twisted out of his sleeping bag, his hair falling messily all over his eyes. Roxas's face (still asleep, but wearing a rather confused expression nonetheless) was about three inches to his right. And most importantly, two dark figures were silhouetted on the walls of his tent, outlined in the light from the moon. They had clearly been the ones tapping on the tent, and also the ones who had responded to Sora's sleepy comment. And he had a sinking feeling he knew _exactly_ who they were.

Strangely, the only thing he could think to say was, "What time is it?"

One of the figures shrugged, a blurry black outline. "We think a little after midnight."

"Make the noises stop," Roxas muttered suddenly, wrapping his pillow around his ears possessively. "Sleepy. Lots of voices. Shuttup," he murmured, burying his face into his sleeping bag.

"Is that Roxas I hear?" said the second voice, sounding delighted.

Roxas's face popped out from his sleeping bag with alarming speed, his eyes half shut and his hair sticking out in more directions that Sora could count. "_Axel_?" he asked in a hiss, sounding a lot more awake.

"The one and only!"

"What…why….the hell…" Roxas looked a bit lost for words. "What_ time_ is it?"

"Oh, this is never going to work," said the first voice (the one Sora knew so well), sounding rather cross, and Sora could hear the sound of rapid footsteps. He studied the outside of the tent warily; no silhouettes, no shadowy outlines. Maybe that meant they had given up—

The zipper of the tent shot open, and two familiar faces popped in, wearing identical smirks. "Good morning, sunshines!" Axel sang out, evil pleasure written all over his face.

"AHHHH!" Sora and Roxas let out identical shrieks and tried to simultaneously cover themselves with their sleeping bags, get as far away from the opening as they could, and cling together for safely.

"What are you doing here?" Roxas finally hissed as Sora fruitlessly tried to burrow in his sleeping bag.

"C'mon, we can't sleep," Riku said, his eyes dark and unreadable in the half-light of the tent.

"And what, that means we can't either?" Sora squeaked indignantly.

"There are better things to do than sleep," Riku replied, his voice a soft purr in the darkness.

"Like what?" Roxas asked, his foot poised and ready to kick Axel, who had begun to scoot forward like a curious inchworm.

"You'll see."

Roxas turned to Sora, keeping one eye on Axel. "My vote is for sleep. You in?"

But Sora was intrigued despite himself. He had always been the tame one in high school, never daring to go outside the box. This chance at rebellion, whatever it was, was strangely appealing. His newly discovered dark side was jumping at the thought of this, whatever it was; as long as it wasn't some kind of practical joke. If it was, he needed Roxas there. For backup.

He shrugged, trying to appear indifferent. "I couldn't sleep either."

Roxas looked at him in bewilderment. "Sora, you were snoring like a lumberjack five minutes ago."

Sora flushed (good thing for the darkness) and replied tactfully, "We should give it a shot."

"That's the spirit," Axel crooned, scooting forward another inch and narrowly escaping a kick to the face. "It'll be fun, I promise."

"But…but…we're not even dressed," Roxas said, flustered. He was clinging to his pillow like a life-raft.

Riku's eyes glimmered, even in the darkness. "Who said you needed to be?"

And as if by some unspoken signal, Axel grabbed Roxas's unprotected legs and pulled, just as Riku did the same for Sora.

The two boys slid easily across the slippery fabric, even struggling as they were, and before they knew it they were in a crumpled heap on the wet grass, trying fruitlessly to cover up their boxers from the prying glances of the other two boys.

"I'mgetting kidnapped, aren't I," Roxas said hopelessly.

"Only if you're lucky," came the whispered voice in the darkness, and then the two boys were hauled to their feet and pushed into the blackness of the night.

* * *

"Where are you taking us?" 

Axel put a friendly arm around the other boy's shoulder, then jumped back as Roxasrelflexivly pushedhim away. Seemingly unperturbed, he smiled widely at his blond companion. "We told you. It's a surprise."

"I never did like surprises," Roxas muttered under his breath.

"Oh, but this is a good surprise."

"Good as in cake and candles, or good as in ha-ha we've all been eaten by bears?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Bears aren't nocturnal."

Riku remained silent, walking a little ways ahead of the group. Sora studied his bare back with apprehension; first his noticeably hot-and-cold behavior today, and now this. Something was up, and he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to know what Riku was thinking behind those icy aquamarine eyes.

They had brushed the outskirts of the forest, cursing and hopping as their bare feet encountered sharp branches and pine needles, and were now walking along the moonlit shore of the lake, it's waters glimmering flat and smooth in the light of the moon. Sora was trying to remember what was beyond the lake, and figure out where they could possibly be going, when Riku abruptly stopped at the edge of the long wooden dock, waiting expectantly for the rest of them with a scowl on his face and his hands on his hips.

"What? Why are we--?" Sora looked around, confused, and then his gaze settled on the placid lake, the true horror of their situation dawning on him.

He and Roxas turned around simultaneously. Axel and Riku had crept behind them and were now smiling, looking downright evil in the half-darkness.

And then they started running; straight at the other two.

"Aww _HELL_—" was all Roxas managed to get out before Axel had collided bodily with him and carried them both into the lake with his momentum, hitting the still waters with a quiet splash. Sora turned around just in time to see a pair of broad shoulders and outstretched hands.

Then he was flying, Riku's limbs somehow all tangled up with his own.

And then, quite suddenly, he couldn't breathe.

His blue eyes shot open into utter blackness, and he realized he must be underwater. The only thing he could see was something silvery and soft floating in the water next to him, and as he watched it, confused, it turned, Riku's watery features coming into view, as the other boy grabbed Sora's small wrist and yanked them both to the surface.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT I'M ALL WET IS THIS YOUR IDEA OF A SURPRISE WELL I'M NOT FREAKING LAUGHING, AXEL—" was the first thing Sora heard as he broke the surface, dripping and gasping. And then another sound met his ears; uncontrollable laughter from the redhead, (whose hair, Sora noticed, looked rather like a wet porcupine in water).

Roxas had taken no notice of this; he was looking quite furious, and the gaze he was fixing Axel with spelled out death with a capital D.

"Like your surprise?" said a quiet voice right next to Sora's ear, and he jumped despite himself.

"What, not skinny-dipping?" he said, turning around to face Riku.

The other boy shrugged modestly. "We didn't want you guys to feel inferior."

Roxas's tirade had now settled down to a tired murmur, sounding something like, "wettiredbedwantsleepdamnaxelstupidredhairwet."

Sora floated on his back, surveying the quiet lake around them. They were close to the shore, tall willow trees sending their tender branches to skim the water, and they were far enough from the campsite that they didn't have to worry about making noise. The moon hung, large and full, to bathe the four boys in its milky light, casting a blue glow to everything; the smooth surface of the water, the sheen on Sora's limbs, the hair that fell in wet clumps across Riku's forehead. Everyone, even Roxas, was quiet for a moment; taking it in, tasting the quiet of the night, and the electricity of the dark that hid waiting under the surface.

* * *

Roxas had worn himself out in protest, so when a soft hand grabbed his wrist and began to drag him gently along, weightless in the water, he didn't protest, didn't even have to open his eyes to know whose touch it was. Instead, he let himself be dragged passively through the moonlit currents of the water, resigned to_ this_, whatever _this_ might be. 

Finally after what seemed like forever in the lilac-scented night, he felt his body slow in the water, the touch trailing away. Confused in spite of himself, his cerulean eyes shot open, taking in his surroundings.

He had been dragged away from the dock, away from Riku and Sora, and found himself in the soft embrace of one of the shore-lining willow trees. It branches had made a cove, of sorts; a small pool of lake water ringed by blossom-heavy branches, bell-shaped. But something was missing.

He floated gently in the water for a few moments, looking around, before he found what he was searching for; quietly, a head full of red hair broke the pristine surface of the water, and Axel's green eyes studied the younger boy, his gaze uncharacteristically serious.

For some reason, Roxas could feel chills traveling down his slight body in waves, the touch of the water cold against his bare skin. Suddenly, irrationally, he wanted Sora or even Riku to be there with them, for protection, for a chaperone.

_Why would I need a chaperone?_ Roxas asked himself, and instead felt another wave of shivers crawl down his back as Axel swam closer, closing the distance between the two boys.

For an uncomfortable minute, Axel said nothing, just swam there and stared at Roxas, who was beginning to sweat lightly. Desperate for something to say, he burst out, "What, no jokes?"

"What?"

"Umm…it's just that…you know," Roxas said, beginning to feel a bit foolish. "You're always so happy, and now you're so…serious."

"I didn't think you would come," Axel said abruptly, turning in the water so that all Roxas could see was his hair, wet and plastered to his back. "This was all Riku's idea."

"Oh," Roxas said softly.

Silence pulsed between them, awkward and electric, before Axel took a deep breath and said hurriedly, "Why do you hate me?"

Roxas sucked in a breath, trying nervously to avoid the other boy's piercing emerald gaze, pointed features twisted in anxiety. He felt dizzy; a few weeks ago the words would have slid easily off his lips, calling Axel his enemy, his adversary, stupid and arrogant and not worth a second of his time. Roxas imagined saying those things now, faced with a living, breathing Axel, and was surprised to find that the words tasted false and bitter on his tongue.

"I don't," he said, forcing himself to meet Axel's gaze.

Axel's whole face lit up, childishly, Roxas thought, but true nonetheless; his eyes shone with a pure joy that Roxas discovered made all the other boy's smiles pale in comparison.

He felt the need to backpedal at Axel's obvious delight. "I mean, I didn't say we were friends, or anything. Right?"

Axel's mega-watt smile, so bright in the darkness, faded only slightly, but he turned away from Roxas and began to float on his back, easily, his upturned chest drinking in the moonlight. Roxas couldn't help but notice his pronounced stomach muscles. He swallowed, hard.

"Do you think we could ever _be_ friends?" Axel's voice came quietly, once his face was out of sight.

Roxas scowled. Whatever this night was, confessions and seriousness, he wasn't going to go this far. He wasn't the type to lay soul open just because someone asked him a few questions.

"No," he lied clearly, ignoring a weird pang in his chest.

"And why not?"

"Because you're friends with Riku," Roxas said, his scowl deepening at the truth in his words.

Axel, drifting slowly around the cove in the moonlight, laughed softly, the sound like tinkling bells as opposed to his usual full-throated guffaws.

"Silly," he said, and his voice was a near a whisper. "Just because you're friends with Sora doesn't mean I like _him._"

And before Roxas could figure out what the hell he had meant by _that_, Axel had disappeared underwater in one neat dive, his bobbing head disappearing from sight.

Roxas stood nervously close to the shore, his arms crossed and ready to berate Axel the moment he surfaced. But the long seconds ticked off slowly in the stillness of the night, and before he could stop himself he had called out quietly, "Axel! Where are you?"

A dark shadow was spreading at his feet underwater, and he jumped back, but it was stretched, elongating, breaking the surface. And he recognized that red hair.

Axel smiled easily, straightening until he and Roxas were separated by mere inches. "I'm right here."

Roxas stepped back involuntarily, nervous at the lack of distance. Axel simply remedied that by taking a step forward, towering a head over the small blonde.

Roxas didn't like where this was going, and he was almost backed up to the shore. So he did the only thing he could think of.

He dove underwater.

It was dark, under there, and for a moment his clouded mind calmed. He pumped his legs, powerful strokes, and as a result almost bumped into something that was sticking out of the bottom, long and gleaming pale in the moonlight.

A leg. _Axel's_ leg.

And before his common sense could kick in and warn him that this was a bad idea, a _very_ bad idea, he had playfully grabbed the leg and pulled.

A hand shot underwater with almost lightning speed and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him up like a trout on a line, gasping and kicking. Axel's face hovered above him, luminous in the moonlight. "Found you!" he said gleefully, and that was when Roxas tackled him.

They spent a few more happy minutes splashing and wrestling in the water, and for a few seconds Roxas thought he was safe, was relived to have brought their interaction back to a plane that was familiar to him, that he understood, that he could make sense of. All the rest made his head spin.

Roxas was laughing as he half-heartedly tugged at Axel's hair, barely noticing the other boy's eyes had taken on a new determination, two slender hand reaching up to push Roxas's shoulders steadily backward, until the other boy was pressed flush against the high bank of the shore, waist-deep in water, with Axel hovering over him.

Axel didn't remove his hands.

Roxas's giggles trailed off, but his carefree grin remained, not seeming to notice his compromising position. "Hey, you've got hair all over your eyes," he said, a little out of breath.

"I do, do I…" Axel started, but abruptly halted his words, hardly daring to breathe, because Roxas had thoughtlessly reached up and brushed away a spare strand of Axel's hair, his slender fingers brushing along Axel's forehead, and his touch was more invigorating than fire.

Roxas, lost in his hazy dream, was abruptly brought back to life as his hands made contact with Axel's skin. Because of their close proximity, he noticed everything; the sparks of electricity where his bare flesh met Axel's, Axel's grip on his shoulders had tightening imperceptibly, his quick intake of breath, the flash in his emerald eyes that was the only warning the blond boy received. Before Roxas could even draw a breath to warn the other boy away, Axel had begun to lean down, and alarm bells were going off in every corner of Roxas' mind….

This was _Axel_. Axel the spaz. Axel who hung out with Riku, Axel who he had hated every day for eight years, and Axel who suddenly made his head turn dizzy…

He suddenly felt wide awake.

"What are you doing?" he burst out, pushing the other boy away bodily. "Get off me!"

Axel made a large slash as he hit the water, and his face, when he broke the surface, was hopelessly confused. It almost made Roxas turn and look back, but by then he was swimming away, so it was easier not to respond when he heard Axel's voice, so wounded, calling him back.

* * *

"Riku? Where did Axel and Roxas go?" 

Only muffled laugher responded. Sora, his forehead wrinkled crossly, surveyed the blank expanse of water surrounding him- defiantly Riku-less.

"C'mon. Where are you?"

Silence.

Sora sighed, noisily, and began to float on his back, surveying the starry sky above him. A shooting star flashed across the blackness of the heavens, and he momentarily searched for something to wish for. All his tired brain could scrounge up was, _I wish Riku would come back so I'm not all alone._

He flipped another gaze around; still nothing. So the other boy had disappeared, along with Axel and Roxas. He knew that if he was alone much longer, he would just have to start swimming back to shore, go back to his warm tent and his soft pillow…

But strangely, he felt no desire to leave the calmness of the night; the starts whirring above him, the lake spreading out beneath him, cool and flat as a pane of glass, every breath magnified in his ears. It was peaceful, and beautiful, and he felt sad that he would have to leave it soon, since Riku was gone…

Someone grabbed him behind, and a large hand clapped over his mouth to prevent him from crying out. Sora kicked himself inwardly, cursing Riku's ability to sneak up on him so quietly, but he didn't struggle. Standing as he was, Riku's chest was pressed hard into his bare back; he could even feel the other boy's muscles, close as they were, and hear the other boy's breath, warm in the chill of the night.

So he didn't pull away, just reached up to remove the hand and said crossly, "Can you stop doing that?"

"Doing what, Sora?" Riku said happily, not moving away.

"Oh, I don't know. Scaring me, sneaking up on me, grabbing me, having weird mood swings."

Riku stepped back, the water lapping softly against his chest. "Having weird what?"

_Oops. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. _

Sora turned to face the other boy for the first time, and again was surprised at how dark Riku's eyes looked at night; black holes with the faintest trace of aquamarine light, still shining in their depths.

"You were…nice…to me all day," Sora said, wondering if 'nice' even remotely covered Riku's joking, playful attitude, "and then you just got really mad after the tent collapsed. You wouldn't even talk to me. Why?"

Something flashed across Riku's face, quickly hiding itself before Sora could puzzle it out. "I was…um…you just scared me, you know? With the tent."

Sora giggled in spite of himself. "Awww, I didn't realize baby Riku was scared of the nasty tents," he said teasingly, his small face shining with laughter and starlight, then cut off quickly as Riku jumped at him, growling, and dove underwater to freedom.

He swam for what seemed like ages, until his lungs were about to give out, and then cautiously poked his oxygen-starved mouth above the surface, peering about anxiously.

No sign of him.

Sora was just taking his first deep breath of relief when he was again (and he didn't know why he hadn't been expecting it) grabbed from behind.

"Found you," Riku said, and his voice was so low and deep that Sora could _feel_ it, traveling through his bones.

"I wasn't aware we were playing hide and seek," Sora responded just as softly, working to keep a shake out of his voice.

"Well, we are now," Riku purred, slowly spinning the immobile Sora until he was facing him, neck deep in the water. "And you. Are. It," he finished with a triumphant smirk as he touched one long finger to Sora's button of a nose, then, instead of removing it, traced a slow trail across Sora's cheek, down the side of his chin, across his throat and down across his chest, as Sora just stood there, hardly daring to breathe, hardly daring to feel, hardly daring to wonder why Riku was doing this and why Sora was _letting_ him..

"SORA!"

Roxas's voice shattered the mood like a gunshot; Sora jumped away from Riku with a splash, sputtering like he had come out a trance. "Roxas? What the—"

"What were you doing?" Roxas shot at Riku as he swam over to Sora; broad, angry strokes. "Get off of him!"

There was a moments pause as Riku took in the situation; Roxas barreling toward him and Sora in front of him, breathless. His eyes grew confused, sad, and then angry and hard.

"He's all yours," Riku said coldly, stepping back with his hands in the air and that peculiar cold expression back on his face, staring at the flustered blond and his dazed charge.

"Roxas! Wait!" Axel's voice came swimming through the darkness, and Sora could see the other boy gaining on them, only a few yards away.

"Leave me alone!" Roxas called back in a strangled yell, then turned to Riku, eyes blazing with unearthly conviction. "And you! Leave _him_ alone!" he shouted, gesturing at the wide-eyed Sora.

"Fine. Just tell _him_ to stay away from _me_," Riku said tightly, then swam around them, quick short strokes, and intercepted Axel, leaving Roxas and Sora alone.

* * *

Sora, dazed and hurt, barely noticed that Roxas had dragged him to shore and was practically dislocating his shoulder in his attempts to pull the other boy up and run back to camp. 

"What happened there?" Sora managed to gasp out as he jumped awkwardly to his feet.

"Nothing," said Roxas, his voice tight and controlled, but it was his face that told Sora something was up; a mixture of anger, confusion, and sadness.

"He's the one that keeps following me," Sora explained, his own anger at Riku still burning within. _Tell him to say away from me, my ass._

Roxas didn't respond.

"Are you mad at me?"

Roxas shot him a sidelong look, then sighed. "No. Just at him. I know how he- how _they_- can twist words, and actions. We'd best just stay away," he said, a new determination lifting his features. "That would be the best thing to do."  
Sora didn't say anything, just stared down the long path back to camp, his feet tired, cold, and wracked with shivers, and wondered why they hadn't done that in the first place.

* * *

And don't you just want to kill Roxas? 

-reviewers run at Roxas with knives-

-throws self in front of cowering Roxas-

STOP! HE'S JUST CONFUSED!

-reviewers look doubtful-

They're all just really confuzzled right now, but they'll get better. Oh, much better.

**Next Chapter**: We go climbing for the first time, Alysa gets downright diabolical, and harnesses prove to be an interesting problem…

**Side Note: **Even I am getting frustrated by the sexual tension in my story, so I'm sorta-kinda-maybe considering writing a oneshot. It would NOT be AU, RikuxSora centric, and post KHII. So if any of you have a brilliant idea, feel free to leave a suggestion and I'll defiantly consider it. A girl needs her fluff, you know.

You know what to do.

(hint: press that little button down there. the one that says 'submit review'. and I'll love you forever and ever)


	8. It Was an Accident!

chapter eight!

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts. But that's ok. My wicked imagination will provide everything the real producers left out. –cough cough KISS cough cough--

**Author's Note: **150! –SQUEE!—

I have to apologize for a couple things in advance for this one.

1) it might be lacking in its usual quality because I. Am. So. Freaking. Tired. sixteen screaming children can really drain you…sucking out all my fanfic energy! –shakes fist at my campers-

2) the fluff has died down a little. we had a mini-peak last time, and now we are going to steadily build…so please don't get impatient! IT COMES!

3) If you didn't already guess; I am a total rock climbing geek. I live it. I BREATHE it. So a lot of that is going to come through in this chapter. If you don't like rock climbing…well, that is just _too bad._

**ON THAT NOTE:**

I realize not all of you climb, so here's a basic breakdown of terms:

_Harness_: Thing you wear around your waist to prevent you from falling to your doom.

_Carabiner_: clips into your harness and attaches you to the climbing rope, prevents you from falling to your doom.

_Belayer_: Person on the ground who controls the climbing rope, making sure the climber does not fall to their doom.

_5.8 (etc.) rating_: Rock walls are rated in difficulty from 5.1 to 5.14 or 5.15, depending on who you talk to. There is a really complex way of determining the rating, but for now all you need to know is 5.1 to around 5.5 is "this is so easy my eight year old cousin could do it", 5.6 to 5.9 is "wow I didn't realize this was going to be so difficult" and 5.10 to 5.15 is "let's make sure you have a last will and testament before we try this, shall we?"

In other geek news, I have recently watched FFVII: Advent Children. And OH MY GOD, is it pretty. Reno and Rude are love. My very favorite part ever? That little kid running at this huge-ass monster screaming, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

I laughed until I cried.

**Reviewers: (I'm only gonna do a few as I only have like…half hour to make this ready BUT I LOVE YOU ALL.**

**The Queen of Hearts: **Don't explode yet! FLUFF IS ON IT'S WAY. It just got stuck in traffic and took a wrong turn and got a flat tire…

**AbnormallyWeirdPerson: **Haha, if the characters were ready when the readers were, my story would go: Chapter One: Riku and Sora make out senselessly.

**ChaosDreamer:** OMG, I would love you FOREVER if you made me fanart. No joke.

**Arika-of-the-Demons: **Alysa is always, always, always plotting. She's just a plotter extraordinaire. As we will see.

**Sekre:** Riku is totally PMS'ing. I didn't even think of it that way, but that is SO PERFECT.

**Llew Llaw Gyffes: **Aww –blush- thank you and I will keep that in mind. Don't think I'll be going into closets anytime soon, anyways..

**Yuki Kimagure: **Aww, thank you. I was actually just worrying that I was making them to OOC, but you have reassured me. Thanks! (p.s- Tasmanian devil? Totally.)

**Orangedcgirl: **After reading that review, you are like my new favorite person. Ever. Yes.

LETS GO!

The birds woke Sora the next morning, snapping him out of an awful dream where silver-haired leprechauns had trapped him in a dungeon and then skipped away with pretty Irish girls, leaving him there to rot away in a rusty cell with mildew on the walls.

He lay in his tent for a moment, feeling relaxed and peaceful as he watched the summer sun cast his olive tent in a warm golden glow. Roxas was still sleeping next to him, his lazy breath audible in the woodsy silence, in and out and in again, a predictable pattern, and Sora was warm and comfortable and sleepy. Everything felt…right.

Until, of course, Alysa's voice called out (and far more loudly than necessary), "RIKU! AXEL! GET UP! GET UP NOWWWWWW!"

_Riku. Axel. Last night. The lake._

Reality came crashing down around Sora's ears, and very suddenly all he wanted to do was bury his head inside his sleeping bag, fall asleep, and never, _ever_ come out, leprechaun dreams be damned.

But Alysa wasn't going to have that.

"ROOOOOOXXXXASSSSS! SORRRAAAAAA!" she screaming, reminding Sora swiftly of that yodeling concert he saw once…or was it that Ricola commercial?

Roxas's eyes popped open with stunning swiftness, and he sat up so fast his tousled head slammed into the top of the tent, making it wobble on its foundations.

"Couldn't someone just….you know….shake me, next time?" he murmured, running a hand through his hair, but he froze at the sound of a new voice.

"Alysa! Riku's sleeping on my toothbrush. And he won't move."

"And exactly how old are you, Axel?"

An indecipherable murmur.

"That's far old enough to solve your own dentistry problems. Go poke him, or blast Britney Spears, or something. Always worked on my brother."

"Fine," came Axel's voice, and he stomped off, presumably to wake Riku up in devious ways.

Roxas's eyes, still bloodshot and sleepy, had narrowed at the sound of the other teen's voice, and presumably having the same thoughts as Sora, was just reaching for his pillow when…..

"What part of GET UP NOW are you having trouble with?"

"The part where it's six in the morning," Roxas murmured, cluthching his pillow to his face so hard it appareared he was eating it.

Alysa smiled. "Oh, so you are awake! Right then, I've done my job. Whether or not there's any breakfast left after the other ravenous wolves get to it…now, that one is all you."

* * *

Sora and Roxas were out of their tent in less than two minutes. Pulling on a shirt and running a careless hand through his hair, Sora buzzed by Alysa, intent on the smell of cooking bacon coming from behind her. As he passed his counselor, he could swear he heard her murmur, "Boys. Too predictable."

But he chose to ignore that.

He was just munching his way through his third round of bacon when the zipper on the other tent shot open, and Riku tumbled out, looking very annoyed and holding his hands over his ears as if in pain.

He looked up, and his eyes met Sora's. They flashed in the morning light, and then Riku looked away. Hurriedly, Sora did the same, a fresh scowl assuming its position over his features. If Riku wanted to play that game, so could he. From now on, he would have nothing to do with the silver-haired boy. No use in dealing with someone who blew so hot and cold Sora was wondering if the other boy was secretly a bipolar six year old.

At least, that was the plan.

Alysa, pulling her hair into a ponytail with a snap, was watching Sora's facial expressions go from hopeful to hurt to angry like an off-tempered traffic light, and she prided herself on her observation skills.

It also didn't hurt that she was a very light sleeper. And had excellent hearing.

All very useful qualities for a camp counselor.

At least, for _her_ particular brand of camp counselor.

She smiled slowly and moved to sit down next to Doug, pretending to be interested as he scrawled busily on a legal notepad he had brought especially for this occasion.

"Alright, kids!" Doug called out cheerily. "I've been up for a while now trying to figure out the itinerary for this trip, and especially the pairing system we're going to use. As I'm sure you know, we'll be splitting into pairs of two for the duration of our climbing days, and I have carefully worked out strategic groups based on your questionnaires from the beginning of camp," he brandished a stack of maroon papers, on which Sora could vaguely remember stating that his favorite animal was a cockatoo, "what I have observed of your interactions between your peers, the group dynamics, your food preference, your Myers-Briggs personality type…."

He took a deep breath, rattling the mountain of paper before him in an authoritative way.

"Anyway, the first pairing- I thought we'd name you after colors, isn't that a great idea- is going to be the Fuchsia group, in which we have Sora and Ro—"

"Riku," Alysa finished swiftly, twirling a spare strand of hair around her finger. "Sora and Riku."

"Umm, Alysa, the group is actually…"

"But Doug, remember how we discussed the groups before this? And we decided that they would be Sora and Riku, Roxas and Axel, and Hayner and Kairi?"

"Refresh my memory," Doug growled, clutching his papers possessively.

Alysa smiled sweetly at the campers, four of whom were treating her with the iciest glares she had ever received. "Give us a counselor moment, dears."

She grabbed Doug by the collar and pulled him out of earshot, the legal pad shedding forms in their wake. Once she was sure no observant ears could pick up on their conversation, she whirled on him, using her five feet and six inches to their full advantage.

"Look, I know you've been working for hours on this personality-matchy thingy, and I appreciate that, really and truly, but just go with me on this one. Just once. Please."

"Alysa," Doug hissed, trying to look furious but summoning up more of a worried, puppy dog expression, "You put _Riku_ and _Sora_ together. _AND _Roxas and Axel. Do you _want_ a casualty on this trip? Namely, a homicide?"

She couldn't help but snicker. "If I wanted that, I would have paired up Riku and Roxas."

"I don't get it. Why do you want them together?"

She sighed dramatically and draped a tanned arm over her co-counselor's shoulder. "Doug, Doug, Doug. Aren't you the one who is forever telling me that it is our job- nay, our _duty_- to bring our campers together into one, cohesive family? I'm just trying to spread unity where there is discord, extend the bounds of friendship with open arms…."

"Ok. Ok," Doug said, shrugged out of her clutches. "Stop it. You've never done anything but make fun of my methods. Why am I supposed to trust you now?"

"Doug." Alysa said, a hand over her heart. "Can't you just believe in me? Just this once?"

He stared into her honest face and broke. "I guess…I mean, of course. It's probably a good idea, anyway…just think," he said, a dreamy expression settling over his features, "leaving as enemies and returning as friends….it's every counselor's dream! Ok, kids, Alysa's groups stick!" he shouted jubilantly, running over to his despondent campers as if expecting high fives and cheers.

Alysa watched his retreating back and smiled, a different smile; shark-like and wicked. Her eyes traveled her campers, who had scooted to opposite sides of the campsite as if afraid the others might be rabid.

"Oh, silly Doug. Open your eyes."

She had barely taken two steps when something blond and vicious attached itself to her abdomen. Looking up, it met her translucent blue eyes with an anguished glare.

"Roxas. Remember the rules. No assaulting counselors. Do you need a time out, young man?"

"Alysa," he hissed under his breath and running a sweating palm through his already spiky hair, "you've got to change my group. Please. I am _begging_ you."

"But Roxas, I would have thought you would enjoy being in the Marigolds…"

"It's not the name of the group," Roxas screeched under his breath, then looked about wildly, "and you know that full well. It's the…well, it's…."

"Axel?"

"Yes! You've got to switch me."

She shook her head sadly, feigning reluctance. "I'm sorry, Roxas, but it would simply break Doug's noble little heart. He spent so long on these groups…all that paperwork…"

Roxas' eyes narrowed at her, understanding sweeping across his features. "But you _switched_ his groups."

"Nonsense! I simply had to refresh Doug's memory. He gets a little forgetful sometimes…remind me to tell you the story about the picnic basket, car keys, and kettle of green tea…"

"Look," Roxas said hurriedly under his breath, "I'm sure I could work out a deal with my parents…a generous tip, for a simple switch..."

Alysa had the audacity to look offended. "Roxas! I hope you're not implying what I think you're implying. Otherwise you would be in flagrant violation of camp ordinance number…" she thought fast, "Six hundred and seven."

"Alysa. Please."

She looked at him, pity crossing her features in one swift burst before disappearing behind the mask of her emotions. "Not unless you give me a legitimate reason."

"I….I…."

What could he say? _I was almost molested by him last night? He won't leave me alone? I can't be around him long before getting that woozy feeling…like I'm drunk, or going to be very soon…_

He glared at her, beaten. "You aren't very nice, you know."

"Get back to me on that one," Alysa said with a cheery wink, sweeping past her slumped camper.

She made it another three steps before she bumped straight into Riku, who glared down at her from his considerable height. He opened his mouth and said simply, "You're going to kill me, you know."

She smiled; sincerely, for once. "Depends on your definition of dead."

And linking her arms behind her back, she dodged smartly around him and shot into her tent. From within its safe confines, she couldn't help but laugh.

_This is going to be fun._

* * *

Fifteen minutes later the group was all packed up and back within the vast gray confines of Velma the Van. The seating order was basically the same, except for the new foot or so of space between the middle and the back seats, seeing as Sora and Roxas had pushed themselves as far as humanly possible away from Riku and Axel, as if afraid the other boys might reach out and bite them if given half a chance.

"Welcome back, ducklings!" Alysa said merrily, sidling behind the wheel and starting down the road. "I hope you're as excited about today as I am!"

Mutters from the back, most of them containing bad words.

"I think Roxas just called you a bit— "

"Shut UP, AXEL!"

"The beginnings of a beautiful partnership," Alysa said happily from the front. "So, you guys are the Marigolds? What a sunny, happy…."

"I categorically refuse to be named after a flower that makes me sneeze."

"We could be the Sunflowers! Or the Poppies!"

Roxas turned to glare at Axel. "Gee, I didn't realize you were such a botany expert."

Axel shrugged sheepishly. "They make pretty colors when they burn."

Roxas stared at him hopelessly for a few seconds, then wailed, "ALYSSAA!"

"Legitimate reason!"

Roxas shut up.

"Doug…can we change our name?" Sora piped up hesitantly from the backseat.

"What's wrong with Fushia?" the counselor asked.

"Well…isn't that…you know…pink?"

"It's more like a light purple," Doug said delicately.

"Only real men wear light purple," Alysa asserted, staring at them in the rear-view mirror. "Right, Riku?"

Death Glare.

"I can see we're going to have a lovely time today."

They pulled into the parking lot after another half hour of crisp silence. They all bounded out of the car eagerly, looking forward to freedom and towering walls of stone. Sora was the first out, and he looked up toward the treetops, expecting to see majestic, sunlit cliffs…

And instead was faced with woods. Lots and lots of woods.

"Where the rocks?" he asked, confused. "Are we climbing trees? _Why didn't anyone tell me we were climbing trees_?"

"Woah. Take a chill pill. The cliffs are that-a-way." Alysa said, pointing off into the distance. Way off in the distance, a flock of birds took flight from the hillside, and if he squinted, he could make out faint gray blobs that he assumed were rocks. Hopefully. He rubbed his eyes.

"Well, we'd best get started. We've got a fair amount of walking to do," Doug said cheerily, taking a deep breath. "Ah, the fresh mountain air!"

All six of his campers simply stared at him.

He cleared his throat. "Eh…follow me."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the trail began to wind uphill, and Sora was running through the list of reasons why he should have barricaded himself in his room like he had planned, instead of coming on this trip.

_One: My legs hurt._

_Two: My feet hurt._

_Three: I swear that chipmunk if glaring at me. Yeah. I see you._

_Four: The trail goes uphill for the next mile and a half. Over boulders. And MY FEET HURT._

_Five: I'm paired with Riku, who might toss me off a cliff._

_Six: I'm paired with Riku, who might poison my peanut-butter sandwich. _

_Seven: I'm paired with Riku, who will kill me in various ways. And then laugh about it._

_Eeep._

Roxas was walking beside him, uncharacteristically silent, and Riku and Axel were staying a safe distance back, talking about Axel's college roommate's eye patch, and the various pirate references that could stem from this. Kairi and Hayner were up ahead with Doug, who was (unsuccessfully, thank god) trying to start up a rousing chorus of campfire songs, and Alysa was all the way in the back. Sora had looked back at her once, and she had winked at him and smiled like a loon.

He was beginning to suspect he was in the hands of lunatics.

He gritted his teeth and tried to remind himself that all he was here to do was to climb. Climb, climb, climb. That was it. The End. Finito.

If they ever _got _to the stupid walls.

Unconsciously, Sora began to drag his feet more and more, until Roxas was plowing on alone a couple of feet behind him, humming (roaring) softly under his breath. The woods were silent, this early, except for the occasional cheep of a bird or rustle of a bush as one of their company crashed through it, cursing the burrs and thorns that inevitably followed.

The trail had defiantly taken on a vertical tilt now, and had become peppered with rocks and pebbles that they had to clamber over, which was not helped by the fact that Sora now had a backpack, helmet, harness, and coil of rope on his back.

So it was not a great surprise when he went to step over a root and his tired feet missed their mark. Instead of going over the obstruction, his foot tangled itself up in the root, twisting around and bringing him off balance, until he was falling, his hands extended, thinking sadly to himself..._Oh, dammit. Goodbye, nose…._

Until he mysteriously stopped, caught in midair with his face a mere two inches from the ground.

He twisted around, confused, and got one glimpse of two concerned aquamarine eyes before the hand that had grabbed his backpack thought better of itself and let it go.

Sora hit the ground with a _thump _as Riku walked by him, not even bothering to look back. Axel gave him a fleeting look, but didn't stop to help.

Sora was contemplating the possibility of staying there forever (would he get wet when it rained? what about winter?) when a strong hand lifted him up again, and Alysa was brushing him off briskly.

"You didn't twist your ankle, did you?"

He shook his head mutely.

"Alrighty then, let's go. Only another five minutes to go."

He shook himself off once more time, sighed, and continued on his way. His rock-climbing career was off to a great start; his partner had dropped him onto the ground within the first five minutes.

_This time, three inches. Next time, forty feet._

Sora shuddered in spite of himself and vowed to cling to the cliffs for with monkey-like strength. _I'm too young to die!_

* * *

But when they rounded the bend…all of it became instantly, amazingly worth it.

They were on the top of the cliffs they would be climbing, all of Maine stretching out before them, a canvas in tattered saffron and green, rolling hills and, very far in the distance, the glittering strip of the ocean. The rocks beneath their feet rolled on for yards, smooth white stone smoothed by ages of weather and water.

Sora hesitantly crept over to the edge, looking down. Seemingly miles below, there was a small ledge; their new home for the day. He smiled, a pure smile of expectation and innocence.

"It's beautiful," he said, before he could help himself.

"Yeah. It is." said a quiet voice.

But when he turned around, startled, the group was walking away, meandering down the treacherous path they would have to follow to reach the ledge. He started, confused, and ran after them, trying the whole way to tell himself that it could not have been the voice he thought it was.

Perhaps he was going crazy, too.

* * *

"Alright. Raise your hand if you've done this before."

Everyone raised their hands toward the crystalline sky.

"That's good, very good. And you all know how to put on your harnesses? Belay checks? How to lock carabiners?"

Blank looks.

Alysa snorted. "Remind me to get you a subscription to REI. Field trip!"

Doug glared and pointed at his watch.

"Right. This," she held up a harness, a mess of ropes and straps, "is your new best friend. And if that is your best friend," she said, holding up a long length of diamond patterned rope, "you might as well be _married_ to this."

She proceeded to give a long and lengthy description of harness checks, anchor knots, and CAM devices, leaving Sora feeling itching and impatient. Most of this stuff he had been taught on the few times he had managed to head over to his local rock gym, and the Internet was a beautiful thing. Instead, he couldn't take his gaze off the impressive height of the cliff, looming above him. He had never climbed outside before.

His toes were itching to try it out.

He tuned in again when he heard Alysa say, "So that's about it. Break up into pairs, try not to kill each other, please, don't pick your nose when you're supposed to be belaying, etc., etc. Got me?"

"Right," they chorused, not moving.

She gave them a glare. "Ok…do you need me to count it down? On the count of three you get in your groups, or you all have to scrub the bathrooms when we get back to camp ….One, Two…"

The broke apart, grumbling, and she smiled, finding a perch on a nearby rock.

Sora didn't look at Riku as he slipped his legs into the leg loops of his harness, struggling with the awkward twists of fabric.

"Axel. You have to wear the helmet." Alysa's voice swam over to meet his ears.

"But it makes me look like a tomato," Axel whined, brandishing the fire- engine-red helmet like a toddler handing over a hated toy.

"Do I need to spell it out for you? Helmet equals safety. No helmet equals punctured skull, and lots of blood. And the sight of blood makes me sick. You wouldn't want me to get sick, would you?"

"Besides," Roxas was saying, "how is that any different from your normal hair?"

"Why you!" Axel said playfully, punching him the shoulder, and Sora watched, interested, as Roxas made a fist as well, but then suddenly stopped, shying away from the other boy.

"Whatever. Let's just climb," Roxas muttered to the wall, not seeing Axel's shoulders slump dejectedly.

"You ready, and all that?"

"Sure," Axel said, grabbing fistfuls of rope and twining them into his belay device. "Ready to go!"

"Just don't drop me," Roxas said, glaring over his shoulder at Axel. "Or I swear; I _will_ haunt you from the grave."

"Drop you? Never," Axel said, the sincerity in his voice painfully obvious.

Roxas stared at him for another long moment, then turned around quickly and began to climb, tackling the wall in long, sloping strides.

"Ready?"

Sora jumped at the sound of Riku's voice. "Umm….yeah, sure, right, fine," he babbled nervously, doing everything but meeting him in the eye. He set his jaw and said in what he hoped was an assertive voice, "I'm first."

Riku raised one delicate eyebrow. "Oh, are you?"

"Yeah," Sora said, flushing a little. _Don't look him in the eye. Don't look him in the eye. For god's sake, don't…_

Sora looked him in the eye. Riku had sneakily moved up until he was right in front of him, and Sora could see amusement in his turquoise eyes. It was _that _look; the look that alerted Sora that he was about to be mocked mercilessly. "What is it?" Sora said.

"Well…I might be wrong…but it's probably not the best idea to go climbing with a harness like this…" Riku said softly, reaching out toward Sora's waist. His hand paused halfway there, but then continued, reaching slyly for the waist loop of Sora's harness and pulling it outward.

The harness gave about two feet, and Sora flushed again. He could have easily slipped out. "Fine. I was going to tighten it. When, you know, I had a chance," he murmured defensively.

"I'm your partner. Let me," Riku said neutrally, and before Sora could even begin to think of stopping him his large hands had wandered over to Sora's sides, tickling the exposed skin of his waist as he pulled the small tabs to tighten the harness, pinching it around Sora's small waist in a tight embrace.

"Thanks," Sora said dizzily, then pulled away quickly and practically sprinted toward the wall.

_Bad Riku. No Riku. Stay AWAY from Riku…_

He was so occupied in his thoughts that it was a full minute before he realized he was five feet off the ground, and climbing steadily, and after that, he thought no more.

Climbing was…climbing was natural, easy, amazing. His feet wrapped tightly in leather climbing shoes, he pointed his foot and reached for a hard hold, his tanned fingers snaking around the tiny fissure of rock, using his legs to push himself up. His left foot snaked out and felt for a tiny bump in the surface, and he pushed off it mightily, propelling himself to another ledge, and another, and another, until he was nearly eighty feet off the ground.

And he forgot, as he climbed. About last night, about his anger, even about the fact that it was Riku who was keeping the rope tight around his waist, who would catch him if he fell. His mind was focused solely on the spinning sky above him, the feeling of warm rock beneath his chalky palms, the relief in a final finishing move, the comfortable tiredness he felt in his limbs as he was slowly lowered back to the ground, spinning softly like a top in the breeze.

But as soon as his feet touched ground again, and he could see Riku, tucking his silvery hair behind his eyes and smiling a little (_that_ smile) all of it came crashing back down. Including the awkward, shivery feeling of being around him.

"You turn," Sora said deliberately, unclipping his carabiner and handing the apparatus to the other boy. "It's a good climb."

"Well, if you can do it…" Riku's low voice drawled, his fingers brushing over the other boys.

Sora's head snapped up. Was Riku_ teasing_ him?

But before he could read the other boy's face, he had turned and swiftly began to tackle the wall, practically leaping up the vertical surface so that Sora had to reel in the rope frantically to keep up.

With narrowed eyes, he watched Riku climb, and had to admit to himself the other boy was good. He had natural height and strength to his advantage, and he used it; extending one long leg to reach a hard hold, his arm muscles displayed prominently under his light-t-shirt, his hair in a loose ponytail down the curve of his back, his slender fingers reaching effortlessly up to grasp a ledge, his pretty features twisted in concentration…

Sora blinked.

_Did I just use the words pretty and Riku in the same sentence?_

He shook his head. No. The sun was just getting to him, that was all. Heatstroke. Sun spots. Sun poisoning. All of these could be the reason for this lunacy. He reminded himself sternly to put on more sunscreen at lunch, and then had to pay attention as Riku hollered to be let down.

* * *

It was much later in the afternoon when Axel, his fair legs scrabbling uselessly on the slick marble surface, fell off the wall for the sixteenth time in five minutes.

"I'm boreddddd," came Roxas's voice, from sixty feet below him. He could feel the tension in the rope around his middle and knew that Roxas was leaning on the rope to support his weight. Somehow, the idea that Roxas's hands were connected to this rope which was connected to Axel's waist was kind of exciting. If he removed the rope, and the mere pittance of sixty feet, Roxas was practically hugging him. Axel smiled giddily, clutching the rope in both hands.

"Axel. Are you trying to fuse with that rope, or something? Either go up or come down. There is no middle ground here. And I'm getting a rope burn!"

"Calm down for a second. I just want to take a break."

Roxas's tiny face looked exasperated, even from his height. "Axel. Breaks are for coffee or cigarettes. Breaks do not apply when you are dangling sixty feet in the air, and when your BELAYER'S HANDS ARE CHAFING. CHAFING!"

"Just give me one second to catch my breath," Axel said, willing to do anything to prolong his conversation with Roxas. Some distant corner of his mind reminded him that this obsession was unhealthy, but he shut it up vehemently. Fruit snacks were unhealthy. Skydiving was unhealthy. Roxas was the essence of healthiness, like a fresh-squeezed glass of pineapple juice, or that vitamin store he always saw at the mall…

"Axel. I am going to count to three."

Axel couldn't resists sticking out his tongue. "And then what, Mr. Smarty-Pants?"

Roxas looked at his hands, which were pink and bruised, then up at Axel, spinning like a flaming top sixty feet above him and….was he _sticking out his tongue?_

"Onetwothree," he whispered, and the let fly.

And suddenly, Axel's inner monologue about whether or not he could make another move on Roxas tonight was cut short by a strange realization.

He was falling. He was falling quite quickly, actually, toward a ground of unforgiving stone, and he was pretty sure that his unattractive helmet wouldn't do much to help him…it would save an earlobe, _maybe_…

But then he stopped short, the straps of his harness cutting ruthlessly into his thighs. Roxas could hear the other boy yell something that sounded an awful lot like, "AHHOWWSGOD! ROXAS! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"

"It was an accident," Roxas said sweetly, summoning up his very best-I am merely an innocent cherub-expression. "I told you not to take a break. You sure are heavy, Axel."

_Roxas is an evil demon from hell. Roxas is an evil blond demon from the very pits of the earth. Roxas is the spawn of Satan from the shadow realm…Roxas is…Roxas is…_

Axel looked down at Roxas's smug face; sticky-outty hair, pouty lips, blue eyes, soft features….

_Roxas is TOO DAMN HOT!_

"I'll get you back for that…later." Axel murmured under his breath, so that the other boy couldn't hear him. "In more ways than one, you hot bastard."

Luckily, Alysa chose that moment to hop upon he rock and yell, in her very best – I am the counselor so shut the hell up and listen to me, children- voice, "TIME TO GO! BEFORE THE BEARS EAT OUR DINNER!"

And their first day of climbing was done.

* * *

End kind of rushed, I know. And more AkuRoku than RikuxSora moments. But they will come. They will bond. They will fight. They will make out. It will be very sexciting.

**Next Chapter**: Hide and seek, for real this time. And how in the world did Sora end up next to Axel? Will Roxas resists ripping Riku's hair out? Awkward conversations ahoy!

More reviews equals next chapter sooner equals we get to the chapter (and you know which one I'm talking about) more quickly. I'm not telling you which it is. But it is coming. So REVIEW!


	9. Hide and Seek

Welcome to CHAPTER NINE!

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** It's on my wish list, but as of now: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Redbull, or any sort of Nickelodeon kids shows. But how_ awesome_ would that be?

**Author's Note: **SORRY ABOUT LATENESS I have been super extra busy this week, but here is chapter nine!

I should really just stop being surprised. But I still am. 200 reviews!

And in other news, WHO SAW PIRATES TWO?

How awesome was that? I heart Captain Jack Sparrow. And that really shocking scene (I hope you know which one I'm talking about. And if you haven't seen it yet, I won't spoil the fun. Yet.)

Bring on the third one. Like, now.

**Reviewers:**

**Llew Llaw Gyffes: **Thanks! And the whole scaring the counselors thing; that sounds like so much fun. I wish I had thought of that when I was a camper. Oh, the possibilities.

**Slushie Blu: **THE chapter is getting closer and closer…so I give you permission to keep using me for my stories until then. Cause you leave such nice reviews.

**ChaosDreamer: **I'm sending Roxas in for surgery soon to get that stick removed. And about the fanart- anything works. You get super extra brownie points just for drawing anything at all.

**Kyrene once Blood Roses: **Wowee, that was like a paragraph review. And I loved it. I was wondering if people would eventually remember it was a climbing camp. Or that Kairi and Hayner existed. They get mentioned for like half a second in this chapter, though. Yay!

**Darkness-Heart: **Thanks for the nice review! –glances around furtively- I'll let you in on a secret. AxelxRoxas moments will come SLIGHTLY BEFORE RikuxSora moments. But I will say no more. My lips are sealed.

**RedBlackandWhite: **Well, it was _close_ to the same sentence. I get points for closeness, right? Hehe.

**Orangedcgirl: **What's a life or two in the name of yaoi, indeed. That's just one of those sacrifices we'll have to make.

**moon maiden of time: **thanks so much! you make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside with all the compliments.

**VittaMelody: **Roxas just seemed like a metal head to me. And Axel…we all know he's a pyro. No question about that one.

**Koneko-Aishiru: **that would be SO DAMN COOL!

**Astrazoxity: **Oh, that was defiantly not a typo. Hehe.

Let's go!

* * *

It was just around twilight when Velma finally pulled into the dusty confines of the campground with an arthritic screech, rocking slightly on her frame. Alysa hopped out first, not waiting for the rest of her campers to make their mad escape. 

"Woah! Where do you two think you're going?" she called out, her eyes locking with military precision on Roxas and Sora, who had been trying to make a sneaky bid for their tent.

Sora found himself wondering if maybe Alysa had heat seeking vision, or some other useful robotic feature she wasn't letting on.

"Um….we were going…to get…" Roxas guiltily tried to read Alysa's expression. "Dinner?"

"Good guess. Get to it."

Grumbling under their breath about their sore arms and legs, the two boys headed off in the direction of the campfire.

* * *

When Axel and Riku returned with the water (both of them miraculously dry) they strode into the campsite to the sight of a war zone. Empty biscuit wrappers, crumbs, and what looked like a heavy sprinkling of mozzarella cheese decorated the ground, arching outward from the origin of this chaos; Roxas and Sora, trying to make dinner. 

"Sora! I told you not to EAT the tomatoes! We _need _those!"

"But I'm hungry," Sora whined, his hands juicy and stained red from the piece of tomato that was stuck beneath his teeth. "Besides, you wanted to mix them with PEPPERS. That is like, vegetable blasphemy. You blasphemizer."

"Sora, we're making tacos," Roxas explained patiently, brandishing a package of empty shells. "And tacos require lots of ingredients. At the rate you're eating them, however, dinner will be sour cream and Cajun seasoning."

"Sour cream is gross," Sora mumbled, his mouth half full.

'Which is the reason why it's the only thing left! Give me that lettuce."

"No! Mine!"

"SORA!"

"My lettuce," Sora said protectively, cradling the head of lettuce like a newborn babe. "You no touchie."

"Sora," Roxas said, inching forward menacingly, his hands outstretched, "Give me the lettuce, and no one gets hurt."

"Come and get it, tough guy!"

Riku and Axel, still holding the full water buckets, watched in open-mouth amazement as Roxas chased Sora around twice around the campfire, before tripping spectacularly over a bag of onions that scattered over like frightened chickens. Sora, still with a dab of tomato juice quivering on his cheek, stopped and laughed at Roxas, who, cross-eyed, was attempting to stand up, still muttering menacing things about "lettuce" "maniacs" and "vegetable fiends".

The two boys were quiet, safe and unseen in their position in the trees, watching the spectacle play out in front of them.

"He's just so…" Axel said softly, a smile tugging at his lips.

"I know what you mean," Riku finished, his eyes fixed on Sora's laughing face.

* * *

"So then we passed around a petition in Colonial Living 101 class to get oatmeal bagels in the cafeteria because some people don't just like white, wheat, and raisin…of course, it was a huge success, especially when we started to talk to some people about the importance of whole wheat in diets, everyone seemed to find it fascinating, the overabundance of sodium and processed sugar in cafeteria food. Did you know that there are even faint traces of sugar in some meat products?" Doug paused in his monologue to cast a concerned gaze over to Alysa. "Well?" 

Alysa's eyes, which had been crossing slightly, fluttered open. "I couldn't agree more."

Doug looked confused. "That's not an answer…"

"What did you major in, again, Doug?" Alysa said quickly, her eyes completely closed now.

"Behavioral Sciences, with a minor in childcare."

"Swell," Alysa said thickly. "I'm sure you'll be super."

Doug's chest puffed out in pride, clearly not noticing her sarcasm. "What about you? Any fun college stories?"

"Shhh. Not in front of the kids. Wouldn't want to scar their malleable little minds."

"Oh, mine's already been warped beyond repair. Please continue," said Axel cheerily.

"Well, there was the one time where had too many Redbulls and jumped off the forty foot bridge…" Alysa smiled wistfully into the twilight. "Oh, Rodney. He was still muttering "But Redbull gives you wings!" all the way to the ER. And then there was the time with the hulu skirt and coconut bra…"

"I think those are enough stories for now," Doug cut in quickly, earning disappointed groans from their eager-eyed charges.

Silence fell over the group for a moment, a comfortable, easy silence. They were arranged in a crude circle around the sparkling fire, a content tiredness written all over their faces, grouped in pairs; Roxas and Sora, Riku and Axel, and Kairi and Hayner. Kairi's eyes were closed, and her bright head was on Hayner's shoulder. He didn't look as if he minded.

"So college is fun?" he asked Alysa in a whisper.

"You guys will love it," she said with a small smile. "So many opportunities for bodily injury…you'll fit right in."

They all smiled at her affectionately.

"So, guys," she said, stretching out so her face was tipped toward the stars. "Have fun climbing?"

Mute nods and murmurs of assent.

"Well, actually," Doug spoke up, "Alysa and I had an idea for a sort of team-building exercise, and since we're not doing anything else now, I think this would be the perfect opportunity."

"We had a what-now?"

Doug smiled at Alysa, and this time it was his smile that glimmered with a hint of wickedness. "Don't you remember? When we discussed how everyone would go around in a circle and say something positive about their partner's climbing?"

Alysa frowned. "Must have…must have slipped my mind."

Doug watched her with a little smile on his face. "Good. So now's a good time? I know how excited you were, and all."

Alysa, her frown deepening in thought, looked around the circle at her campers, stopping on Riku's face. Suddenly, her wholeexpression brightened, and she smiled again. "Oh yes. Now would be an _excellent_ time."

* * *

"Axel was good at falling." 

Doug frowned at Roxas, who was working to keep a smirk off of his face. "Come on now, Roxas. Surely you could say something a little more…_positive_."

"I see that as a positive thing. You should have seen him. After the fifteenth time, he had it down to a science. Pure poetry."

"I'm so flattered," Axel said dryly.

"I just wanted you to know, Axel, that your plummeting skills are an example for us all. Your descent, your slippage…"

"That's quite enough," Doug said sternly, but his serious voice was ruined by the snorts of laughter coming from Alysa.

"Axel. I believe it's your turn."

Axel frowned, deep in concentration. "Roxas had some really excellent stretching skills. The way he could just arc his body up, higher and higher and higher…"

"Axel!" Roxas said, his face flushing a deep red. "Stop it."

"I think that was a lovely compliment," Doug said delicately. "Well done, Axel. Nice of you not to resort to petty insults."

Roxas flushed even more deeply, if possible, and began to mutter under his breath once more.

"Riku. We haven't heard from you yet," Alysa chimed in sweetly, enjoying the look he gave her; it reminded her of squirrel about to be run over by a eighteen wheeler. "What did you…_enjoy_…about Sora's climbing?"

"Umm," Riku said, his mouth open and clearly thinking very, very hard. "He made this one..good move. At the end."

"Can you describe it for the group?" Alysa said, her voice taking on a pixie-stick level of sweetness.

Riku didn't blush, but a faint tinge of warmth lit his icy skin for a moment. "Well, there was this tough hold and he had to leap for it, and he caught it."

"That's not very descriptive at all," Alysa said chidingly. "How are we supposed to learn if you don't give us the play-by-play?"

"Well…ummm…he stretched up on his left foot, and reached up his right hand, so he was all…umm…stretched out, on the rock, and he just kind of jumped, all in one motion, you know…" Riku trailed off as he realized what he was saying. The pinkness in his cheeks became more visible, and he deliberately leaned forward so his bangs covered most of his face from view.

"And how do you think Sora felt right them, Riku?" Alysa said, her eyes positively sparkling with malice. "Sweaty? Faint? _Hot_?"

Riku's hands went into fists, and he let out a muffled exclamation that they couldn't quite make out.

"What is it?" Alysa prodded.

Sora, who had become more and more uncomfortable as this little scene progressed in front of him, spoke up before he could think better of it. "I was just sort of tired, actually. Do I get to go now?"

He registered two pairs of surprised eyes on him; Alysa's and Riku's.

"Sure," Alysa said, recovering. "Go ahead."

"Riku was good a face climbing, especially finding handholds were there weren't great ones," Sora said in a rush, then winced and braced himself for a slew of embarrassing questions. He could just imagine it…_And how did he _grip _the handholds? _

But to his surprise, Alysa said simply, "Good one, Sora. Well, I think that's it, right Doug?"

Doug replied, but Sora tuned him out. He could still feel Riku's gaze on him, prickly and insistent, but he didn't look up.

Now why had he done that? Coming to Riku's rescue again. What did he think he was, his protector? Or the other way around?  
Sora resisted the impulse to groan and bury his head in his hands. And just when things were going well. Just when he had sworn, _promised_ himself to stay away. But for some reason, that was becoming harder and harder as the days went by, and when Alysa started hammering Riku with those questions, it wasn't a choice that Sora had to make. There were no other options. Only one; _get Riku out of this_.

God, he _hated_ that.

* * *

Riku, on the other hand, was baffled as he studied the small, tousled haired boy. He had been nothing but awful to Sora, and the other boy would still….do what, exactly? 

_Cover for you. Stick up for you._

_And you've been a bastard to him._

Riku felt something unexpected swell inside him; gratitude. That was surprising in itself, as he didn't _like _being helped. He would usually snap at anyone who offered assistance, would say icily that he was just fine, thank you.

But Sora…he hadn't met anyone like Sora before.

Why was it that when Sora helped him, he didn't mind so much? When Sora helped he was even…grateful?

He didn't want to admit it, even to himself, but that feeling of gratitude- it scared the hell out of him.

So maybe that's why he suddenly found himself leaning over close to Sora—the closest he had been since that infamous night on the pond—and whispering softly in the other boy's small ear, "Thanks."

Sora looked up sharply, his cheek almost colliding with the other boys' chin. As Riku felt his gaze inexplicably pulled to those deep blue eyes, he saw the emotions in them flick from happiness to confusion to something cold and distant that he recognized; _his _look. Sora was using _his _look.

"You're welcome," he said, and his tone was chilly. "I just hope I'm staying far enough away from you for you liking, _Riku_."

And the feeling of hurt that flooded Riku's body like ice; that scared the hell out of him, too.

* * *

"Do you remember _Legends of the Hidden Temple?_" Roxas said wistfully, staring in the great red depths of the fire. "Now that was the best show ever." 

" I beg to differ, my friend. _Double Dare _was the best show ever."

Roxas wrinkled his nose. "Are you crazy? That was so…so…"

"Gross?" Axel said with a little laugh. "That's why it was _awesome_."

"You would think so," Roxas muttered under his breath. "At least you learned history on _Hidden Temple_."

"But there was _goo_ on _Double Dare_!" Axel said with his green eyes (the same color as the aforementioned goo, Roxas noticed) sparkling with a childish pleasure. "Lots of lots of goo!"

"You are such a twelve year old. Are you sure you've hit puberty yet?"

"Do you need to see proof?" Axel purred softly.

"NO!" Roxas shouted out before he could help himself. "Oh, _god_ no," he whispered under his breath, shuddering.

"Anyways, in _Double Dare_ there was an obstacle course," Axel finished triumphantly.

"There was one in _Hidden Temple_ too! With feathered temple guards! And they would pop out and be like OOGABOOGAH!"

Axel raised a delicate eyebrow.

"They were scary," Roxas finished defensively.

"You were scared of the overgrown forty year olds demanding coins from children?" Axel shook his head sadly. "I fear it is you who needs to his puberty, my friend."

"Oh yeah?"

'Yeah!" Axel said. "Wanna fight about it?"

Roxas would have said yes, if he hadn't noticed that peculiar sparkle in Axel's eye. That one that scared him deeply, even more than temple guards.

That one that spelled out, loud and clear, exactly _why_ Axel wanted to fight about it.

_Oh hell no._

"Grow up," Roxas said instead, giving him a nice view of his back. And his butt, he realized--but too late. _Don't let Axel be looking at.._

Roxas looked over his shoulder. Axel was defiantly looking at it.

"ALYSA!"

Alysa sighed noisily. "What is it, my ever-so-obnoxious charge?"

"Axel is…Axel is…"

"What, exactly?" Alysa watched with interested as Roxas's face got redder and redder, finally turning and interesting puce shade that she could have sworn was the exact color of Doug's current sweater.

"Never mind," he finally murmured, defeated.

"Seems to me you guys are getting rather riled up," Alysa remarked dryly, her eyes sweeping over her charges, who, in fact, looked on the verge of collapse. "Wouldn't want you going to bed with all the leftover energy bubbling through your veins. Why, you might have nightmares!"

"What are you proposing?" Doug asked excitedly, sitting up. "A team-building exercise?"

"Sorta-kinda," Alysa said, pretending to think. She snapped her fingers after a few moments, as if she had just gotten a brilliant idea. "Hide and seek," she said with a slow grin.

"_What_?"

Alysa made a deliberate point of covering her eyes with her hands. "ONE. TWO. THREE….."

She cracked open an eye. None of them had moved an inch.

"You know, you only have thirty seconds. Then it's ready or not, here I come."

A mad scramble as everyone tried to get up at once.

Alysa used one hand to cover her grin and closed her eyes, counting out into the night. "FOUR. FIVE…."

* * *

Sora picked through the underbrush expertly before diving to his hands and knees, commando-style, and crouching behind a large log that cleverly concealed all sight of him from view. Unless his hair was sticking out. Was his hair sticking out? He patted it tentatively. 

Sora sighed and leaned back against the fallen log, trying to remain quiet. He had always taken hide and seek seriously. If they gave out awards for hiding and seeking, he would have a whole shelf. Now he just had to wait it out and hope that Alysa didn't think to look behind the log…or that a spike of his hair wasn't sticking out like a beacon….

Crashing in the underbrush.

Sora stiffened up, crouching into a small ball behind the tree. The footsteps were noisy and most defiantly not subtle. It could only be Alysa. Which meant he would be found first, and would forever invoke hide and seek shame upon himself. He could never live it down. He could….

"Sora?"

That didn't sound like Alysa's voice.

"Sora? OUCH!" A sound like someone tripping over a root. "Where the hell are you? I know you're around here somewhere!"

Sora poked his head hesitantly out from the cover of his hiding spot. "Axel?" he hissed. The redhead froze and swung around, a triumphant grin spreading on his face as he caught sight of the smaller boy.

"Sora! Just the man I wanted to see!" he called out jubilantly, starting forward and instantly tripping over a stump.

"Quiet," Sora hissed reproachfully, looking around the dark woods. "Alysa will _hear_ you!"'

Axel snorted. "She's not going to hear anything. She's eating marshmallows by the fire without a care in the world."

Sora's stared at him, confused. "But what about hide and seek?"

Axel shrugged, picking himself out of the undergrowth and moving stealthily to crouch down next to Sora. "She'll get around to it eventually. So. What's up?"

Sora eyed him suspiciously, resisting the urge to scoot far, far away. "Not much. Why are you here?"

Axel had the audacity to look hurt. "What, can't I hide with a buddy?"

Sora simply glared at him. "This is my spot, Axel. Either tell me why you're here. Or move."

"Touchy, touchy. Are you always this possessive, or do I bring it out in you?"

"That's it. Get out," Sora hissed, trying to bury himself in the leaves. He could have sworn he heard footsteps…

"I just wanted to talk, you know," said Axel, sounding hurt.

"About _what_?"

A beat before Axel would tear his gaze away from the dark depths of the woods. When he did speak, it was in a much quieter voice; much more serious. "Did…did Roxas, say anything? About last night?"

Sora closed his eyes for a moment. _So that was what this was about._

"No. Should he have?" he said, guarded.

"No, not really. I was just wondering."

"Oh."

Another few moments of awkward silence before Sora's curiosity got the best of him. Before he could stop himself, he was saying in a rush, "What was that last night, anyway? What happened? Why did he yell at you?"

"He didn't tell you?" Axel said, sounding surprised.

"No," Sora said. "What is going on?"

He watched Axel, who looked conflicted, and tried not to feel guilty.What he was doing; itwasn't going behind Roxas's back. It was just that something was going on, and Sora was never one to be left out of the loop. He was just curious as to what had made his friend so mad. Curious.

"He just got mad at me, like usual," Axel said finally, smiling a little sadly into the darkness.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Oh," Sora said, trying not to feel disappointed. "If you say so."

"But..." Axel said suddenly, then stopped himself. Sora could hear him inhale, once.

"But what?"

Axel looked at him out of the corner of his emerald eyes. "Sora…does Roxas really hate me? I mean, _really_ hate me?'

Sora couldn't think of anything to say to that.

"Forget I asked," the redhead said quietly, then got up out of his sitting position. "I'll leave you and your spot alone now."

And then he was gone, disappeared into the darkness.

Sora let the silence hang heavy in the air for a long moment before he said slowly, "He _wants_ to hate you."

"That's what I thought," said a whispered voice from the shadows, and then Sora was alone.

* * *

Roxas, on the other hand, was finding himself with a much more unwelcome hiding partner. 

"Riku. For the last time. Get the_ hell_ away from me."

"I just want to talk like civilized people, for once. Are you familiar with that term?"

"Do you want to be familiar with my fist?"

"Good one, tough guy. Was that what you were going to do last night? Start a fight?"

Riku didn't know why, exactly, he was saying these things, only that he had a need-- no, a _drive_—to talk about last night. To sort out the pieces and make a whole.

And if it took getting punched? Well, he was willing to risk that.

He spoke again. "What was with your freak-out show last night, anyway? Sora and I were just talking. Who are you, his _brother_?"

"Who are you, his _boyfriend_?" Roxas snapped back before he could think.

"You're one to be talking," Riku hissed quietly.

"SHUT UP!"

Riku smiled, satisfied, as he took in Roxas, who had turned a fiery red and appeared to be having some sort of brain aneurism.

"Aw, did I touch a nerve?"

"Stay away from Sora, asshole," Roxas said, beginning to walk away. Riku caught him before he could go anywhere.

"You've got the wrong idea. He's a good kid. I don't want to see him hurt."

"Well then _stay away from him_!" Roxas said, whirling around, anger written all over his face. "Cause you're the one hurting him! Going back and forth like's he's contagious, or something! You're messing with his head!"

"What about Axel?" Riku said, ignoring the sting of Roxas's words.

Roxas froze for a second, but only a second. "What about him? I don't give a damn about him. It's not like we're friends, or anything. Which reminds me; why, exactly, am I still talking to you?"

"Because we both know something's changed."

"Like WHAT?" Roxas shouted, exasperated.

Riku said nothing, only stared at him, his eyes dark as marbles in the half-light under the trees.

"Stop it! Don't you_ dare_ start this again!"

"Start what again?" Riku said silkily, tossing his hair over his shoulder and enjoying the anger that was radiating off Roxas in waves.

"You _know_ what. You…you called me…"

* * *

"Geez, think you're making enough noise? Quick, shout again- I don't think anyone in California could hear you."

They both jumped apart quickly at Alysa's voice, Riku looking oddly satisfied and Roxas still red-faced and breathless. She took them in.

"Well. I certainly didn't exactly expect to see you two together."

Roxas said nothing, just stormed past her back to the campsite. She turned to watch him go.

"What's his problem?" she said, eyeing Riku suspiciously. He shrugged innocently.

"He didn't like being found, I guess."

* * *

So. I think we made some progress here.Right? And just to let you know: Legends of the Hidden Temple kicked _ass._

**NEXT CHAPTER: **More climbing, Riku is actually nice to Sora, and Roxas and Sora have A Talk. Plus s'mores!

But reviews are even better than s'mores. Hint hint. Nudge Nudge.


	10. The Horror of Orange Jumpsuits

Oooh, double digits. Onto chapter ten!

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Kingdom Hearts, I think Alysa would be a playable character. She would be one standing off to the side going crossly, "Oh, just make out already!"

So. I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

**Author's Notes: **I finished plotting this whole story, and if I have timed this right, it will last approximately for the rest of the summer. And then, we'll have to see where I go from here.

And now, since this has been addressed in a review…

**A special side note about my OC's—**sparkle sparkle, confetti confetti --

I have heard from a lot of you that you really like Alysa and Doug as OC's in this story. Well, mostly Alysa. I like her too, and I am perfectly agreeable (and rather honored, actually) if you want to use her or Doug for one of YOUR stories. But since I don't want to see my precious little Alysa damaged in any way, I would appreciate if you did a few things before you kidnapped—ahem, _borrowed_, her.

1) Ask me _directly_, either in a review or a message. It would also be nice if you let me know what role she would play, just to satisfy my curiosity and all that jazz.

2) When I say it's ok (which I most likely will, btw)_ please_ credit me in your disclaimer.

3) Send me the link! I would love to read it.

And on that note--**RedBlackandWhite:** use ahead…just follow steps two and three of the checklist, por favor. And I'm really deeply flattered that you want to use my OC. I did a little happy dance.

**Reviewers: **

**LaLa:** Cake, cookies…so long as it's sugar, I'm happy. I will be so impressed if you guess right…super extra points for you if you do!

**ArosxIrukxOxarsxLeax: **Aww, don't be sad! That will just make me sad. Hopefully this chapter will cheer you. P.S- I just figured out your name. Sweet.

**AbnormallyWeirdPerson: **Alright, you just got the Longest Review Ever award. And I just love long reviews. So basically this boils down to….that review was awesome.

**summoner of the silver wolf: **I know! I want MORE! Unfortunately, we must now wait until next summer….soooo long….

**apie: **Those temple guards _freaked _me out. There's something just sinister about costumed men jumping out of stone pillars and demanding payment from small children…

**NARUfreak: **Yeah, I kinda forgot about them for awhile too. Oops.

**Darkness-Heart: **Stepping on Riku's face…hahahaha. Oh, that made me chuckle.

**AngelicOrgueil: **Writing this chapter gave me a huge craving for s'mores. Must now build large fire in backyard…

**RedBlackandWhite:** Yuffie with a splash of Aerith, haha. See above for the other thingy.

**Hoshiko-Kun: **Your review made me feel all special. I had a little –woah- moment when you say you check every day. It was pretty awesome. Thanks!

**Astrazoxity:** I was SO going to do that. Still might, actually. Yeah during that part I was like –whoa I don't know how I feel about this—and my friend who is a huge fan of the eunuch was like NOOOOOOOOO! It was funny.

On with the sexual tension! HOORAH!

* * *

"YES!" 

Sora leapt up on the point of one toe, just barely scraping his hand across the knobbly ridge of rock. His feet scrambled uselessly against the slick surface of the marble for a few heartstopping moments before he chanced over a tiny ridge in the surface, which he pressed his weight onto gratefully. Breathing heavily, he held himself close the rock and looked up.

"Remind me again why you're the lead climber?"

Riku smiled cheekily down at him, fifty feet higher than the smaller boy. Leaning back over the perilous drop, he expertly wound the yards of rope through his hands, belaying Sora as the other boy made his own way up the face. "Because I'm older, wiser, and more experienced? And anyways, I'm taller."

"That doesn't make a difference," Sora murmured into the rock face.

"Oh, I beg to differ. You haven't fallen to your death yet, have you?"

"There's still plenty of time for that."

"I'm hurt. You have no faith in me." Riku said innocently, placing a hand over his heart.

Sora glared up at him.

"Well, maybe for good reason. But I won't let you fall. I could get arrested on involuntary manslaughter charges for that. And those orange jumpsuits- ugh!"

"Comforting," Sora said. "Lovely to know that the only reason I'm still hanging here, alive, is your distain for the color orange."

"I didn't say that," Riku protested. "There are other reasons."

"Such as?" Sora asked, trying to assess his next move.

"Grab the ledge on your right- there. Alright, up you go," Riku said quickly, pulling the rope tight as Sora advanced another foot up the ledge.

"Such as what?" Sora panted, clinging to the rock again. This was really tiring. And he just knew he was going to have some unattractive tan lines when this was done.

"I may feel a _sliver_ of remorse. I'm only human, you know," Riku said with a little smile.

"Sometimes I wonder."

Riku ignored that. "Step up on your right foot."

Sora did so and mentally scolded his protesting leg muscles. Riku had practically sprinted up this face. And if Riku could do it….

"Where's everyone else, anyway?" Riku said, surveying the ground from his perch on the rocks.

"They went….over to…the other cliffs…."

"Oh," Riku said quickly, pulling his head back. "Just wanted to make sure Alysa wasn't down at the bottom, cackling at us."

Sora had to laugh at that one, but only shortly, his breath running out.

"Do you want to take a break?" Riku asked.

"No thanks," he said quickly, remembering the outcomes of Axel's "break" yesterday. He only clung to the rock-face with renewed vigor.

_Must get up this stupid rock. _

_Must get up this stupid rock._

_Must get up this stupid rock._

"Riku…what happens if I wanted to…per say….theoretically….get down?"

"Sora," came Riku's voice from far above, "We're three pitches up on a rock face, with only one belay rope. And that is up here. With me."

Sora gulped.

Riku's voice sounded suspicious now. "Why?"

"Umm…no reason!" Sora squeaked. He looked above him at the suspiciously smooth face. He was in trouble. He was…

"Are you _stuck_?" Riku's voice said accusingly, his head popping over the ledge so that Sora could read the incredulous expression on his face.

"No!" Sora lied clearly.

_Just jump up, right? That worked the last time…_

Sora jumped.

"Where are you…._OOF_!"

Riku yelped as the belay rope cut deep into his palms, reacting instinctively by grabbing it and braking it tightly. He looked over the edge hesitantly, his heart racing in his chest. "SORA!"

A small brown head of hair hung despondently in the air, fifty feet below him. Riku let out a long sigh of relief. "You could have _warned_ me, you know!"

"I thought I could make it," came the sheepish reply.

"Well, obviously not!" Riku said huffily, pulling on the rope. "You scared me to death!"

"I did _what_?"

Riku backpedaled. "It was really frightening. I mean, my life was flashing before my eyes. Orange jumpsuits everywhere!"

Down below, Sora rolled his eyes. "Typical."

He turned and swung back onto the face, kicking at the rock until his found a suitable hold. Sora looked up. He still had a ways to go, and now he was right back where he started; hanging a hundred and fifty feet in the air, staring at a blank wall with nothing to grab.

"Riku…."

Riku, who was still trying to calm the hammering of his heart, peered over the edge of the cliff. "What is it, Sora?"

"I'm stuck."

To Sora's sincere surprise, the next words out of Riku's mouth weren't, "Haha!" or "I told you so!"

Instead, the other boy brushed his silver hair out of his eyes and yelled down, "Well, ok. Let's work through this. You'll be fine."

Sora nodded uncertainly.

"Put your…" Riku surveyed the face, trying frantically to remember what he himself had done a few minutes ago, "right hand, on the tiny ledge over there, and find somewhere to place your left. Now, see that ridge? Can you move your left leg onto it?"

Sora found he could. Hesitantly, he stood up on the tiny outcropping of rock, praying that Riku was right. His foot slipped a centimeter, two….and stuck.

Sora breathed a sigh of relief. "What now?"

Riku thought quickly, his eyes fixed on the spiky brunette's current position. "Umm…smear your right foot into that tiny crack."

Sora tried, edging his shoe into the minute imperfection and praying not to break any toes. But when he tried to stand up, he almost slipped off the wall, and only a frantic lunge prevented him from sliding into the abyss again. He took a deep breath, trying not to panic.

_But my legs are tired and my feet are tired and I can't stand up and Riku and…and orange jumpsuits!_

"It won't stay!" Sora gasped out, and even Riku could hear the edge of hysteria in his voice.

"It's ok, Sora. Just…be calm, ok? Try it again, this time with your left foot on it and your right foot on the ledge beside it…it's like Twister, right? Right foot ledge, left foot crack!"

"Bad jokes won't help the situation, Riku."

Riku scowled. "Hey, I'm trying here. I get points for that. Just trust me, ok?"

"Trust you?"

"I realize it's a hard concept to follow," Riku shouted down, "But just try to follow me on this one. Up equals safety and a way down. Staying equals becoming a new and more convenient perch for various birds and insects. Up requires trust. Staying requires stupidity. It's really quite simple."

Sora looked down; the world stretched away beneath him, a flat plane of rock reaching down until it met the ground sharply, a hundred feet below the tips of his climbing shoes.

He looked up; he saw Riku leaning over the ledge, his aquamarine eyes boring into Sora, his pale face a mask of anxiousness.

Sora thought about it. He took a deep breath. And he leapt.

His right foot caught the ledge smoothly as his left slid awkwardly into the crack, squeezing just enough so that he could haphazardly grab two hands holds and swing.

It wasn't pretty; but he was alive.

"You made it," Riku said, sounding smug and a little relived.

"You doubted me?" Sora panted out, his pulse pounding in his ears.

Riku only laughed and belayed Sora up the rest of the face, which he climbed through at a near record pace, not looking down once.

After what seemed like mere seconds, Riku was extending a slender arm to help pull Sora up onto the ledge, which Sora promptly refused, instead pulling himself up on his own volition and smiling cheekily into Riku's face.

Riku felt something in his chest swell and he suppressed it quickly, returning the smile. "Nice of you to make it."

"Oh, shut up," Sora said tiredly, clipping himself into the anchor and leaning back over the ledge, the rope stretching to compensate for his weight. "You're taller, after all."

Riku considered replying and thought better of it.

Instead, the boys hung in the light breeze, both silent and contemplating the long climb behind, and the long day ahead. They swayed on the rope, and every so often Riku's arms would brush against Sora's shoulder, or Sora's head would collide gently with the taller boy's sleeve. Both boys said nothing about this, just continued to sway lightly in the wind, looking over their shoulders to see the land stretching out beneath them.

"Good climb," Riku finally said.

"Yeah, it was," Sora mused, leaning comfortably back in his harness. "Just don't make me do it again."

That earned him a chuckle from Riku. Sora looked up to meet his gaze and found himself immersed in the sparkle of those eyes, drawn back to his first day at the campfire when he found out, for the first of many times, exactly how hard it was to look away.

Riku was the one who broke the stare with a light shake of his hair, reaching over to the slender rope at his feet. After a few minutes of fumbling with anchor knots and carabiners, it was wrapped snuggly around his harness, and his hands were locked tightly around the top.

"I'll lead," he said with a tiny smile, and dropped over the ledge.

Sora leaned back to see him go, watching the silver-haired form grow smaller and smaller as Riku rappelled down the length of the wall. He smiled at the sight of Riku awkwardly bumping down the long face. It was so….Riku.

_I thought I hated Riku?_

Riku, down below, cursed loudly as the rope got caught between two ledges, effectively trapping him in a half-squatting, spread-eagled position. Sora laughed. He couldn't help it.

_But now…things are changing._

* * *

"Well, Axel. I have to say, I've seen a lot of improvement since yesterday. By my count, you've now fallen….only a dozen times! You must be so proud." 

Axel peered up at Roxas through half lidded eyes. "Ha, ha, funny man. Just belay me, would ya?"

Roxas obliged by pulling the rope tight, resisting the urge to lean back and nap. The view from the top of the cliff was simply breathtaking, and after all the belaying and climbing and running and eating and leaping that he had been doing, he had to admit that the sugar-high from his breakfast of chocolate chip cookies had officially melted off and left him exhausted. It would be so nice to just lean back against the warm stone and let the sun hit his skin.

Only one problem with that…

"SHIT!"

Roxas closed his eyes, sighed, and saved Axel's life for the thirteenth time.

"Sorry," came the sheepish voice from below. "The rock was kind of slippery."

Roxas rolled his eyes. "No problem," he said sarcastically. "I've got nothing better to do than bake like a lobster. Magenta was always a good color on me."

Axel was momentarily waylaid by the image of Roxas decked out in all magenta. Perhaps a tight-t shirt, with leather pants….

_Roxas in leather pants…_

He was forced to snap out of it when the rope holding him, which had been swinging lightly in midair, took a turn directly into the wall.

"OOOF."

Roxas peered over the edge. "Ouch. That looked like it hurt."

"It did," Axel's voice said, thought the clarity was questionable due to the fact that he was speaking into a large amount of granite.

"Well…keep on climbing," Roxas said. "You're almost there. Maybe by then I won't be magenta after all…just a light strawberry color, really."

Axel's eyes crossed.

_Bad thoughts…_

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed onto the wall with renewed strength and tackled it with a vivid burst of energy, shooting up twenty feet of wall before collapsing, worn out again.

Roxas sighed. This was nothing new; Axel's climbing style was to alternately tackle the rock like a gung-ho squirrel and then collapse. And then repeat. Hundreds and hundreds of times.

"This helmet is obscuring my vision," Axel's voice drifted up toward.

"I don't believe you. You're biased against the helmet."

Axel harrumphed. "It's just so ugly. It's like someone took a hunt of plastic, hollowed it out, and added chin straps. _Chin straps_!"

"Calm down, Valentino. Besides, who's going to see you?"

_You, _Axel wanted to reply._ And I wanted to look my sexiest. Why don't rock-climbers outfit themselves in some kind of swishy black outfit. I always look so cool in things that are swishy and black. Or shirtless. One of the two._

But, wisely, he chose to not speak those particular thoughts aloud.

_It wouldn't make a difference, anyway. _

After five minutes of highly unusual silence, Roxas was beginning to wonder if maybe Axel had dropped off the rock face, albeit very quietly. After all, it was a very unusual day indeed when the redhead was not filling up every second of silence with pratter about this or that…perhaps he had tried to take off his helmet and a rock had hit his head and he had been knocked unconscious…

These fears swirling through his head, Roxas scrambled to the edge of the cliff and looked straight down.

There Axel was, hanging morosely from the wall. His head was down; all Roxas could see was a mess of fiery spikes; like an explosion of flame on the bareness of the rock. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Axel? What's up? I thought you were dead, or something."

"Just let me climb for a second, ok?"

"Okay," Roxas said slowly, confused. Axel never wanted to 'just climb'. "And we were having such an engaging conversation, too."

"You know, you don't have to pretend for me." Axel's voice drifted up toward Roxas.

"Pretend what? What I am pretending?"

"To like me," was the quiet reply. "So you can stop going along with my jokes, and everything. It's ok if you don't talk."

Roxas opened his mouth, then quickly closed it again, speechless. _That_ wasn't what he had been expecting to hear.

So it was this again.

_Why does he think I don't like him?_

Another, nastier part of Roxas' mind whispered, _Well, if could have had something to do with the fact that you have been ignoring him for two days, following the incident where you bodily threw him under a large body of water and ran away screaming for him to leave you the hell alone._

Oh. That.

_But why does he care?_

Roxas quickly shut off his mind before that pesky part of his brain answered that one too. But he had the feeling he knew that answer already.

He couldn't help it; his gaze found Axel, who was pointedly staring into the rock-face with all the intensity of a high-quality laser. Safe from the gaze of those piercing emerald eyes, Roxas studied him; really studied him, for the first time.

Long and lanky, pale. Pointed face with sharp eyes and lips that were always curled into a smile; except now. A shock of red hair over vermillion eyes, which now….which now were looking quite depressed, actually.

And before Roxas could shut down his pesky emotions along with his pesky mind, he felt something swell inside him. And it wasn't indigestion.

It was the strangest feeling. He couldn't give it a name, exactly, more like…he wanted to be standing next to Axel, as close as he could get, and he also kind of wanted to give the other boy a really long hug (because he looked so sad), and maybe then…

Roxas struggled with that particular emotion before it could make himself known. He didn't want to know what he wanted to next. _No. No. Must not probe emotions._

But Axel just looked so…so cute, hanging there.

Roxas gulped and ripped his gaze away from the other boy, tipping it toward the clear sky. He had not just gone there. He hadn't thought that another boy—no, that _Axel_—was cute.

Not cute in a "awww' way either.

_Oh,_ _dammit…_

But Axel was waiting for a response. Roxas swallowed to clear his throat, which had suddenly gone bone-dry, and croacked out, "I like talking to you. You're so ridiculous it's almost funny."

Axel couldn't keep the wry smile from enveloping his face. "Aww, Rox. You sure know how to make a guy feel special."

And ignoring the weird leaping thing his heart had done without his permission, Roxas smiled back. "I try."

Axel, apparently empowered by this comment, turned back into energy mode and covered the last ten feet of the climb with three powerful moves, and before Roxas could adequately prepare himself for it, a slender hand was reaching over the edge of the ledge, groping for a handhold.

Which turned out to be Roxas's shoe.

"Hey! Let go!"

The hand scooted away, spider-like, and Axel's head popped over the edge, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry. I can get up on my own."

"Don't be stupid," Roxas found himself saying. "I'll help you."

_Treacherous mouth! YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME!_

But now Roxas had another problem; his hand (treacherous hand! treacherous!) had snaked out and grabbed Axel's arm, pulling the other boy up awkwardly.

Predictably, what ended up happening was that Axel tried to stand up just as Roxas gave him a final tug, with the end result being Axel's upper torso and head landing heavily on Roxas's lap.

Roxas tried to give him a murderous glare. It that was not quite as menacing as he would have liked.

"Thanks," Axel said, the wicked grin back on his face.

"No problem," Roxas grumbled, as his cheeks (treacherously) flamed pink. He gave Axel's head a half-hearted push in the attempts to move him, but the other boy was having none of that.

So Roxas was left with no option but to lean back on his elbows and ignore the fact that the upper half of a boy's body—a boy he had just mentally referred to as cute—was in his lap.

_Ignoring. Ignoring._

Axel shifted, ever so slightly.

_IGNORING! IGNORING!_

Not bother to conceal his victorious grin, Axel said innocently, "Nice view from up here, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Roxas found himself agreeing. "Yeah, it is."

* * *

Alysa winced as Hayner's helmet collided with the wall with an echoing _crack_. 

"Does this happen…often?" she said, turning toward Kairi.

She shrugged. "A couple times a day. It's like his head is magnetically attached to that wall. But he seems to be fine."

"That's our Hayner," Alysa said with a grin. "Extraordinarily thick-skulled."

"I heard that!" Hayner shouted down, clutching the back of his head.

Alysa ignored him, just scooted out on the boulder she and Kairi were sitting on to get into a more comfortable lounging position.

"So how's this partnership working out for you?"

"Pretty well," Kairi said easily, watching as Hayner attempted to grab the wall and instead ending up snagging his camo pants on outcropping in the rock. "No homicidal impulses yet."

"Which is more than I can say for the other groups," Alysa said with a carefree grin. "I expected at least the _threat_ of a restraining order by now."

"Well, why did you put them together if you knew they would probably end up killing each other?" Kairi said, still eying Hayner, who was now cursing loudly. A loud ripping sound could be heard from the cliff, which both girls pretended not to hear.

"I didn't think they would end up killing each other."

"Still, why _did_ you pair them up? You can't have honestly thought they would be civil to each other."

"Actually, that's exactly what I thought. But…_civil_…wasn't exactly the word I would have chosen," Alysa said, a devious glimmer in her eyes.

"You didn't think…"

Alysa laughed. "Isn't it obvious? I mean, it's practically oozing off the four of them."

Kairi smiled out of the corner of her mouth. "Yeah, it kind of is, isn't it?"

"They're oblivious, of course," Alysa said with a dramatic sigh, "but that's where we women come in. Honestly, sometimes I think the whole species would still be in caves banging rocks together if it weren't for a little…female intervention."

"I couldn't agree more," Kairi laughed. "And besides, if you were right…that would be _so_ cute."

"Totally," Alysa affirmed. "But first, they have to stop being so stubborn and irrational and idiotic…"

"What are you talking about?" Hayner called down, trying fruitlessly to hide the rather large hole in his pants.

"You, Hayner. You."

Alysa and Kairi could only laugh the confused look on his face.

* * *

"S'mores! S'mores! Gimme another s'more, Alysa!" 

Alysa eyed her Sora suspiciously, holding the bag of marshmallows above her head. "And how many have you had already?"

"Just one!" Sora said innocently, eying the fluffly goodness.

"Just one _what_?"

"Just one dozen," Sora said sheepishly, shuffling his feet. "But they're so gooey and delicious! Just one more! PLEASSEEE!"

Alysa reluctantly handed over the sugary treat. "Ok. One more. But only because I think that if I didn't give you one now, I would be awoken at one a.m by the sounds of you and the raccoons fighting over the leftovers."

"Probably," Sora agreed happily, spearing his marshmallow and heading back toward the fire.

It was night, and the entire group was back around the campfire. The mood, however, could not have been more different; jokey, relaxed, even, and peaceful-- the odd sugar-high screech aside.

"S'mores, s'mores, s'mores," Sora hummed happily to himself as he carefully toasted his marshmallow, rotisserie-style, over the roaring blaze. He took it out and inspected it; golden brown. "Perfect!" he crooned, and reached for the chocolate and graham crackers.

Roxas, meanwhile, was eying Axel's marshmallow. If 'marshmallow' was even the proper term for the flaming inferno currently attached to Axel's stick.

"Are you going to eat that?" he asked disbelievingly.

Axel smacked his lips. "I like 'em burnt to a crisp. Gives them that unique, crunchy flavor."

Roxas shuddered.

Meanwhile, Sora had constructed his s'more to his specifications (marshmallow, two graham crackers, half a chocolate bar) and was munching happily, completely oblivious to the fact that he had a rather large splotch of melted chocolate on one cheek.

Riku, however, was not. He eyed the offending spot and toyed with the idea of telling Sora about it, just to see the other boy smear it around more hopelessly, trying to remove it, until there would be no option left but for Riku intervene….with his tongue, perhaps….

Oh, shit. He was thinking _those_ thoughts again. _Bad Riku! Bad Riku!_

Roxas, who had been absently eying the same spot of Sora's cheek, turned around to see Riku studying Sora with a stare that could only be described as…_lustful_. As Roxas watched, perplexed, Riku blinked, looked suddenly horrified, and then proceeded to whack himself a few times in the forehead.

Roxas raised an eyebrow. _Interesting..._

He took another bite of his marshmallow, feeling it smear all over his face. Grimacing, he reached for a napkin and wiped the mess off.

"You missed a spot," a voice came from next to him, and suddenly Roxas was considerably more sweaty than he had been a second ago.

Axel reached slowly toward the gooey spot of marshmallow on Roxas' cheek, trying to peel it off. "Almost got it," Axel said cheerily, brushing his fingertips over Roxas's cheek several times more than was necessary, pretending not to notice that Roxas'skin was getting progressively redder and redder the more he stroked it.

_Two can play at this game _was Roxas' last thought before he did something so impulsive, and so stupid, that even Axel didn't see it coming.

He flung his marshmallow into Axel's grinning face.

"You did not. Just throw. A marshmallow. At me."

"Oops. Must have slipped," Roxas said nonchalantly. "Let me get that off for you…"

"The _HELL_ you will!"

And then everyone at the campfire had to look away awkwardly as the two boys began another one of their now infamous wrestling matches, giggling like schoolgirls the whole time.

* * *

It was another half hour before they had all calmed down enough to go to bed, and now that Sora and Roxas were tucked securely into their sleeping bags, neither of them felt even a fleeting desire to go to sleep. 

"My stomach hurts," Sora moaned.

"My face hurts," Roxas replied, tenderly probing his cheekbone. "I don't think that last punch was an accident."

"Knowing Axel; probably not."

"Do you think…" Roxas said in a whisper, staring into the darkness, "that they'll…you know…come again, tonight? To go swimming, or some other crazy scheme…"

Sora thought for a moment before saying tentatively. "Would you go? If they came?"

Roxas shrugged in his sleeping bag. "Maybe. I don't know."

"You don't know?" Sora asked incredulously. "Last time we went outwith them, you ran away. _Screaming_."

"Well, maybe I was…overreacting. A tad."

"You dragged me along with you!"

Roxas' tone was getting defensive now. "But you were with Riku!"

"You were with Axel," Sora shot back, just as vehemently.

They glared at each other for a minute, their faces hazy and blue-tinted in the darkness, each daring each other to just come out and say it.

Sora was the one who finally caved to his curiosity.

"Be straight with me," he said quietly, seriously. "Do you like Axel?"

"Well, sure. He's a nice kid, I guess…"

"No," Sora cut in sharply. "You know what I mean. Do you_ like_ Axel?"

"What!" Roxas said, hoping fruitlessly that he wasn't blushing again. _Damn his fair complexion!_ "He's a_ boy_, Sora! Where would you get that idea?"

"Um, maybe the fact that you were rolling around with him, covered with marshmallow, ten minutes ago?"

"Well, what about Riku undressing you with his eyes?" Roxas shot back, feeling murderous.

"He was not!"

"Was to!"

"Was NOT!"

"Was TO!"

They stared each other down, blue eyes on blue, but neither gave an inch.

"You totally like _him_," Roxas said finally said, more than a hint of smugness in his tone.

"Do NOT!"

"Just admit it already!" Roxas said, feeling a strange sort of desperation building in his chest. "It's okay!"

"Only if you admit you like Axel," Sora snapped back.

"I told you already…there's no WAY!"

"Fine! GOODNIGHT!"

Moody silence in the tent, building in the darkness of the night. Both boys could hear the other breathing; fast, shallow breaths, their eyes resolutely open in the darkness.

Finally, when Roxas thought he could take no more, Sora's voice, so quiet he could barely hear it, came wavering through the blackness.

"Roxas?"

Roxas sighed, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted off his chest. "I know. Me too."

* * *

OOOooooOOOO. SEE! THAT'S PROGRESS! 

**Next Chapter:** Riku and Sora make fun of tourists, stretching is involved, and Axel opens his big mouth one too many times….but what else is new?

At a loss for a witty comment. So…review?


	11. Scaring the Tourists

CHAPTER ELEVEN!

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but **Author sama277** informs me that I now own a super-sexy Riku plushie. Sweet.

**Author's Note:** 300 reviews? WOWZEE! Did you guys know that my first chapter (when I first posted it) only got 9 reviews? We've come a long way from then, and it is all thanks to you guys. Yays.

In other news…if you feel so inclined, check out **RedBlackandWhite**'s story Riku's Foster Surprise (unless he's changed the title by now). I may be biased 'cause my darling Alysa is a main character, but it's a cool story and if you can't get enough of her wild hijinks, check it out. –grin-

**Reviewers:** I have zero time to make this ready for online, so unfortunately, my darlings, I can't respond to reviews this week. But next time, I promise I'll be back with more than ever…

Anyways. On with the crazyfullness.

* * *

"Breakfast! Breakfast! BREAKFASTIME!" 

Sora opened his eyes, but immediately closed them again. Bright dawn light streamed in waves through the thin fabric of the tent, making everything glow dreamily around the edges.

_Owww…my poor vision…_

"Are you guys deaf, or something? I said it's time to BREAK that FAST! How much louder do I need to scream?"

A beat of silence as Alysa waited for a response. None came.

"That's it. Doug, get me a fork."

"What are you going to…."

"Or a ladle. A ladle will suffice."

"Alysa, you're not going to…stab anything, are you?"

"Of course not. Don't be preposterous. Now surrender the ladle!"

A grudging sigh. Alysa's voice sounded satisfied as she said, "Rightio. Now, where's that frying pan…."

"Oh no," Sora murmured into his pillow. "She wouldn't…she wouldn't _dare_…"

"She could, and she would…" Roxas mumbled sleepily, wrapping his pillow around his ears just before….

**CLANG CLANG CLANG BANG BANG CLANG BANG**

"WAKEY WAKEY, CHILDREN!"

"My poor eardrums…" Roxas moaned. "The pillow does _nothing_..."

"I HEARD THAT! And if you're awake enough to complain in there, you're awake enough to complain out here. Chop chop! Besides….I'm making breakfast!"

Sora sat up very quickly, still clutching his pillow to his bare chest. He cast a quizzical eye at Roxas, who looked, at the moment, like a very surprised hedgehog. Sora reminded himself to lend Roxas a comb after…

"You're making breakfast?" Roxas said, and his voice was laced with suspicion.

"Don't worry, ducklings. I'm actually an excellent chef. And I left all the arsenic at home!"

"That's supposed to _reassure_ us?"

"Look, I don't know about you, but conversing with the wall of your tent is getting real old real fast. Come out. I promise I won't bite."

Roxas opened his mouth.

"Not. A. Word."

He shut up.

* * *

"What…is it?" Sora asked, eyeing the yellow and brown goop bubbling in the frying pan, which Alysa had vacated in order to cook….well, whatever it was she was cooking.

"French toast, sillies!"

"I'm pretty sure French toast isn't supposed to be green…" Riku said, extending a hand toward the mess.

Alysa slapped his hand with a spatula.

"Hey!"

"What?" Alysa asked innocently, spatula behind her back.

Riku sighed. "I give up."

"Wise of you," she said with a little smile, flipping over the French toast.

The other side was hardly better. Sora was trying to come up with words that could describe what he was seeing. Perhaps he could say it was like a third grader had grabbed tubes of black, yellow, and brown paint and splattered it until it made that icky browny-gray shade. He wondered it the concoction was liquid or solid. Or maybe some dire combination of the two…

"Almost ready!" Alysa sang out.

The six campers exchanged uneasy looks. "Nose game," Axel murmured under his breath, reaching to grab his nose quickly. All quickly followed suit, except…

"Sora!" Riku crooned out triumphantly. "_You_ tell her."

Sora gulped.

"Hey, Alysa…?"

"What is it, oh-camper-of-mine?" Alysa said cheerily, turning around. There was a spot of charred bread on her cheek. She didn't seem to notice.

"Um…well…do you remember how on the first day we had that talk about our safe zones? And how this is a safe environment, and how even though you encouraged us to take risks, we could always say no if we felt like we were in danger or at risk in any way?"

"We did?" Alysa said, confused, then turned to Doug. "Did _you_ tell them that?"

"You were there!"

"Sure," Alysa murmured. "Sure I was. Anyways, make a point, Sora."

"Well…about that….I, I mean we…we just….breakfast…."

"Use your words, Sora. I don't speak Incoherent Babble."

"I'm afraid of your French toast," Sora burst out, then took two steps back, out of spatula range.

Alysa looked blank for a moment. She looked in the frying pan. She looked at her campers.

They looked back.

She narrowed her eyes.

They flinched.

"You don't like my cooking?"

"Well…it's not that we don't like it…_persay_…

"...just that...you coudln't pay us to eat it," Axel finished.

Alysa, to their surprise, hadn't gotten slap-happy yet. In fact, she looked thoughtful. "Actually, I'm not much a cook. Something about all those careful instructions I had to follow…"

They all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Doug delicately leaned in and plucked the spatula out of Alysa's hands. "I'll take over from here."

"I can pour orange juice!" Alysa said cheerily, rummaging in the cooler.

"Your talents are astounding, Alysa," Riku said dryly.

"I would whack your for that, if I had my spatula."

She shoved the cups into their hands. "But drink up! You need your strength, especially since this is the last day of climbing before the exam…"

Roxas nearly spat out his orange juice. "Exam!"

"Oh, how silly of me," Alysa said, twirling her hair. "I forgot to mention it."

"Funny how that keeps happening…" Axel muttered darkly.

Alysa smiled innocently. "For the last day and night of our trip, we'll be setting you young ones out on your own, to brave the wilderness, to conquer the mountains, to set off into the great unknown..."

"Alone?" Sora asked, his voice wavering only slightly.

"Well, not technically alone. After all, your partners will be there!"

"Doug. Give me that spatula."

"What?" Alysa said, trying for a look of innocence and failing miserably. "I think it'll be peachy!"

Glares all around.

"Fine. Be that way. Anyway, you_ rudely_ never let me finish. Today we'll be climbing all the way up to the top of the ledge, so pack a lunch; it'll take you all day. But there is a light at the end of this metaphorical tunnel! There's an observation platform on top, along with lots of tourists. So there's an opportunity for fun in all of this, right?"

Roxas sighed. "You sure have a twisted sense of fun, Alysa."

"Is there any other kind?" she said with a small smile, before reaching out and snagging the first piece of French toast, fresh off the pan.

* * *

"I'm tired…." 

"You're only fifteen feet off the ground!"

Sora hung off the rope and briefly considered sticking his tongue out at Riku. "It was a_ difficult_ fifteen feet, okay?"

"Uhuh. Whatever you say."

Sora harrumphed. "I still don't understand why you get to be lead climber…_again_!"

(A/N: I usually hate putting these in the middle of stories but I think this will confuse some people. Lead climbers are the ones that go first and put in all the hardware aka things that will keep both partners from falling. The second partner is on the ground at this point, belaying them if they fall. When the lead climber reaches a ledge or somewhere they can rest, they will chill out there, and then the second climber will head up, using the hardware placed by the lead climber and being belayed by the lead climber. So Sora is basically grumpy because Riku gets to go first and do all the important stuff.)

"What can I say?" Riku said, his face only a tiny dot above Sora's. "You're just slow, I guess."

"That's not fair at all."

"Life isn't fair, Sora."

Sora sighed. "Like I haven't heard that a thousand times before."

He made a neat little move that brought him up another few feet, leaving him hanging, eyeing a handhold just out of reach.

"I mean, would it kill you to go second for once in your life?" Sora grunted, reaching up on his toes and just barely getting a grip on the handhold, his feet scrambling to follow suit.

"Yes. It would, actually."

"I think that's a sign of an arrogance problem," Sora sang out. "You're like on of those anal teachers that can't stand it when their students are smarter than them."

"I am not anal! And you're not my student! That is a_ horrible_ metaphor!" Riku shouted down, yanking the rope perhaps a bit more tightly than was really necessary.

"Sorry. That's just how I see it," Sora said with a little smile.

It probably wasn't healthy how much fun he had tormenting Riku. But on the other hand, he just made it so easy…

"I am not anal," Riku was muttering under his breath. "And I am _not_ arrogant."

Sora looked up at him, not saying anything, but those big blue eyes teased him.

"I think Alysa is a bad influence on you," Riku muttered.

Sora only smiled.

* * *

Sora was still grumpy when Riku started up for the second time. 

"I mean, at least you could let me be leader once. Just once. I know you're anal and arrogant and all that, but please. Come on."

Riku only grunted and pulled himself off the ground, his feet deftly finding footholds.

"I mean, I'm just as good a climber as you. Right? Every bit. I have _every right_ to complain about the current situation."

Riku pulled himself up another foot and grinned sadistically. "But I do present a nice view, do I not?"

Sora snapped his gaze away and busily tried to pretend he hadn't been looking at Riku's…

Well, he wasn't going to go there.

Riku paused for a moment to look back down at Sora, and was surprised to see the other boy was blushing. With the fair afternoon sun glinting off his hair and his cheeks the color of strawberry milkshakes, Sora was biting his lip and gazing off into the distance, his blue eyes- the color of the horizon- wide and innocent as a breeze ruffled through his clothes…

"RIKU!"

Riku hit the ground with a _thump_, the rope falling in a messy coil on top of him. He gasped in pain, clutching his knee, and was surprised to feel something wet and sticky pouring over his hands.

_Oh shit. I'm bleeding._

_What happened? I was looking at Sora and then…well, then I was in considerable pain..._

"Riku! What was…you scared….are you bleeding? I'm so sorry, I was looking away and all of a sudden you just let go of the wall and you were falling and now you're bleeding oh crap oh crap…"

"I'm okay," Riku said faintly, gritting his teeth and trying to ignore the _swooshing_ sound his blood made as it all rushed into his head.

"What happened? Why did you just let go?" Sora said breathlessly, concern written all over his face.

Riku tried to shrug and discovered that hurt, quite a bit. He said sheepishly, "I just forgot to hold on, I guess."

Sora's eyes rolled practically back into his head. "You…forgot to…."

He stomped a few steps away on the ledge, rummaging through his backpack, murmuring, "And he says I can't be the lead climber, oh no, _forgetting to hold on the wall_!"

He inched back over to Riku's side, a white plastic box dangling from his grip. A large red cross was stamped onto its side.

Riku almost laughed. Almost. "You have a first aid kid in your backpack?"

"You never know," Sora said defensively. "An accident could happen at any time…for instance, your climbing partner could, theoretically, _forget to hold onto the wall!"_

That shut Riku up quickly.

Sora surveyed the mess that was Riku's knee. "That looks bad."

Riku looked down and, if possible, got paler. "Yep," he agreed, his voice a little squeaky.

Sora sighed and popped the first-aid kit with an authoritative_ click_. He reached inside and pulled out a small bottle of something that Riku was instantly wary of. He had never like bottles.

His suspicions were confirmed when Sora uncapped it and poured it all over Riku's ruined knee.

"OWWWWW! What's in that? Red ants?"

"Oh, don't be a baby," Sora said calmly, putting it away. "It's to prevent infection."

"I didn't realize preventing infection included torture," Riku said bitterly, eyeing Sora, who was unwrapping a long roll of gauze. "What are you going to do with that? Muzzle me?"

"My, aren't we sarcastic when we're injured," Sora remarked dryly. "Relax. I'm just binding your wound."

Riku was aboutto make a teasing remark, but just then Sora deftly ripped off a few squares of gauze and began to dab lightly at the bloody mess that had formerly been Riku's knee.

All desire to speak left him as Sora's hands swiftly and gently cleared away the blood and dirt, sweeping gently over his skin to assess the damage. Sora's hair fell in his eyes as he worked, and he wore an expression of great concentration as ripped open a band-aid and pressed it gently on Riku's skin, his fingertips making light contact as he sealed the edges.

"Thanks," Riku said finally, in what he hoped was a calm tone.

"No problem…partner," Sora said with a little grin, snapping his kit closed.

"So….are we done, Mrs. Nightingale?"

Sora scowled at him. "Feel free to keep climbing, _Riku_. Just remember to hold onto the wall this time, please."

"Point taken," Riku said with a small grin, standing up on wobbly legs.

As he propelled himself up the ledge, he made an effort not to look down. With even move he made, he could feel his knee throbbing in pain, and with every ache, he still feel the ghosts of small hands brushing across his skin, chasing the hurt away.

* * *

"Newton?" 

Riku gave Sora an incredulous look. "Pardon?"

"A Fig Newton. Do you want one?" Sora asked, thrusting the small yellow package under Riku's nose.

He pushed it away with a grimace. "No…thanks."

Sora shrugged and shoved the entire snack into his mouth. "Don't know what you're missing," he said around a mouthful of fig paste, though Riku assumed he could have said, 'Won't throw what you're hissing,' and it would have sounded pretty much the same.

The two of them were sitting on a large outcropping the rock, ropes twined loosely around their waists. Sora had started complaining of hunger about a half hour before they found this spot, and they had cut it pretty close at the end; Riku would have agreed to eat anywhere, anywhere at all, if Sora's stomach had rumbled one more time. Riku swore that it sounded just like a full-fledged traffic jam, horns included.

"Nice view," Sora said, swallowing heavily and looking satisfied.

Riku nodded, silently agreeing. From the spot they had chosen, they could see for miles, mountains rising gently in the distance to cap the blue horizon, miniscule trees ruffling in an unfelt breeze. Riku brought a bite of his sandwich to his lips and was surprised at the contentment he felt, sitting here with Sora, looking at the mountains.

"Can't believe this is the last summer," Riku said musingly, the breeze playing with the bangs of his hair.

Sora looked at him quizzically. "That last summer before what?"

"Before college, stupid."

"Oh," Sora said, balling up the remainder of his lunch. "Why is that a bad thing?"

"I didn't say that," Riku said. "It's just going to be…different, you know? We'll be adults…grown up, not kids anymore. And we'll have to get jobs, pay bills…"

"You make it sound like a death sentence," Sora said, leaning back on his elbows. "Weren't you listening to Alysa a couple nights ago? It's exciting, growing up. More freedom…a chance to branch out, try new things…"

"You didn't like high school, did you?"

Sora turned to look at Riku, who was surveying him with half-lidded eyes. "What?"

"You heard me. You're one of those kids who just couldn't wait to leave, right?"

Sora, flustered, said, "Well, sure, I guess I was happy to go…"

Riku laughed softly, "Oh man. I knew it. You were a outcast, weren't you?"

The other boy flamed red. "What? No!"

"Don't lie. I can tell. After I, I was one of those popular people you loved to hate."

"You…you were…."

"Yep." Riku sighed, leaning back onto the sun-drenched stone. "Alpha male status, in my school. But then again, I can't say I was sad to leave it behind."

"Why not?" Sora asked, genuinely curious.

"Well…it's harder than you think, being…like that. Always having to please people, to say the right thing and play the right sport and make the right snide jokes about the right teachers at the right time….always had to be dating the prettiest girls, most of whom were total bitches…."

"Poor you," Sora said, unsympathetic.

Riku sat up, eyes flashing. "Hey. I didn't ask for your opinion."

Sora avoided his gaze. "Sorry."

A moment before Riku looked at him. "That's okay, I guess."

There was a beat of silence as both boys looked toward the view, taking in the vast expanse of landscape stretching away beneath them, both content in their quiet, at ease with each other.

The conversation, however, dragged heavy on Sora's mind. He had never heard Riku talk like that before, never heard him why he sometimes acted like a pretentious asshole. It felt almost like an apology—the best he would ever get.

And, strangely, he felt himself accepting it wholeheartedly.

"So," Sora started, feeling a smile creep onto his face. "Can I be lead climber now, oh popular one?"

Riku let out a long-suffering sigh, but his eyes sparkled as he turned to Sora. "I suppose, oh misfit of mine."

* * *

Sora, twenty feet above Riku, looked down over his shoulder and flashed him a white-toothed smile. "See? Not that bad being on the bottom, is it?" 

Riku grumbled under his breath and only pulled the rope tighter around Sora's waist. He supposed it wasn't all that awful, being here on the ground. Looking up and seeing Sora, dangling twenty feet above him. Sora, with little face pointed in concentration and his lithe legs stretching higher to reach harder holds…

Acually, Riku was enjoying this more than he cared to share.

His eyes carefully trained on Sora, he follow the younger boys' progress as he stepped up one on foot, teetering awkwardly, then grabbed for a handhold in the nick of time.

Momentarily stumped, Sora surveyed the smooth walls around him with a perplexed expression.

"Riku? See anything?"

"What about that hold way on your left? Can you reach it?"

Sora leaned far left, his tanned arm outstretched. His t-shirt bunched and peeked upward to display a thin ribbon of tanned flesh. Riku had to actively stop himself from craning his neck to check out Sora's stomach muscles.

_But then again…why stop?_

He peeked. Oh. Sora had nice abs.

Sora grabbed the rock and the t-shirt lowered again. "Thanks, Riku, I got it. Do you see something else?" Sora looked down. "Why are you scowling?"

"Huh…..oh! I mean, yeah. Why don't you stretch for that one, reallllllly high on your right."

_And then maybe you could take your shirt off…._

Sora stretched. Riku craned. This time he focused on Sora's legs, prominently displayed by his shorts, muscles taught on one pointed toe…

_Oh. This is defiantly unhealthy. Stop looking at him. Stop looking at him…stop looking at him, Riku!_

"There are no handholds here!" Sora shouted.

"Just keep looking…a little higher!" Riku shouted out before he could stop himself.

_That was bad_.

Sora stretched…and stretched….and stretched…

_Bad in a way I am totally enjoying. Oops._

"Almost there!"

Sora glared down at him. "I'm not that flexible, Riku!"

"We'll see about that," Riku murmured under his breath.

Oops. Did he say that out loud?

He had. He noticed Sora's cheeks turn that delightful pink color again, but the other boy said nothing, just turned back to the wall and studied it for his next move.

"Hey, Riku! There's a handhold, like, three inches away! Why didn't you tell me about that one?"

"Hmm. Didn't see it."

Sora chose to ignore that. "Alright…almost at the top…fifteen more minutes, probably…"

"Can you see any tourists yet?" Riku shouted loudly.

Sora glared reproachfully at him. "Shhhh! They might HEAR you."

"You make them sound like murderous insects, or something. Relax. The worst that can happen is you get bashed with a camera. A few stitches, no biggie."

"A good reason _not_ to annoy them," Sora hissed.

"Well, Alysa did say we could have some fun. And she's the counselor, right? We always have to listen to our counselors."

"What did you have in mind?" Sora asked grudgingly.

Riku smirked. "You're going to love this…."

* * *

"Oh my GOD!" Sora staggered up onto the observation platform, crashing into the fence with a loud _rattle_. "Riku!" he called out hoarsely, holding his rib cage. "RIKU! WE MADE IT!" 

Riku pulled himself up to his knees, coughing dryly. He looked around; a few dozen stunned tourists stared back at him. "Oh, thank the good lord. We made it! WE'RE ALIVE!"

"Are you boys okay?" asked one of them, a woman wearing pink spandex shorts.

"What DAY is it?" Riku demanded, pushing himself to his feet and clinging to her shirt. "Be straight with me. I can take it."

"The….the twenty-first?" she offered weakly.

Riku moaned despondently, staggering over to Sora. "Five days in the wilderness…no food, no water….we made it, solider," he said, a tear glistening in his eye. "We made it."

Sora leaned heavily on him, one eye closed. "After the bears…I didn't think we would be coming home," he said, sniffing heavily.

There was a quiet click as one tourist took a hesitant picture.

"Did you boys climb up this thing?" The woman asked, looking horrified.

Riku nodded despondently. "And we made it…through wind, through fire, through…through stinging insects!"

"You poor dears!" another woman chimed in. "Are you alright?"

"We'll be fine," Riku said heavily, draping and arm over Sora's shoulder and squeezing tightly.

Sora had to suppress the inexplicable urge to grab Riku's hand and pull, to wrap himself more tightly in the older boy's embrace.

_Must resist…must…_

"Cause I've got some trail mix, in the car," the woman was saying in a helpful tone. "I would be happy to…"

"Well," Riku said heavily, inclining his head, "I guess we can't say no to the snacks of kind strangers, after our perilous journey…"

'Right," Sora agreed, trying his best to look manly and war-worn.

"Follow me," the woman said worriedly, and they set off after her down the beaten trail.

All the way, Riku didn't remove his arm.

* * *

They were five pitches up the rock, and Axel hadn't fallen yet. 

And that, strangely, was upsetting Roxas. Very much, actually.

Roxas knew that was horrible, and evil, and probably marked him a future serial killer, or something. But Axel's falls had become something of a running gag for him, and he wanted to be able to croon triumphantly, "Hah! You FELL!"

If only to have something..._anything_…to say to Axel.

"Still no falls!" Axel said cheerily as his head popped above the edge of the ridge.

Roxas nearly jumped out of his skin. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Sorry," Axel said, still smiling brightly. "I just wanted to inform you that I haven't fallen once today. Not once. Nada. Zip. Zero."

"Shut up," Roxas said crossly, helping Axel up onto their current resting point; a large ledge, wide enough for both to walk around.

"You're supposed to be encouraging me, Rox. I encourage you."

"A little too much, sometimes," Roxas said under his breath, remembering Axel's description of his climbing.

Axel looked up at the next few feet of rock. "You ready? I'll go first."

"Okay," Roxas agreed, not really caring, and grabbed the belay rope.

Axel started climbing, making neat, nimble moves up the face. "Partners should be honest with each other, anyway. C'mon, tell me how proud you _really _are of me."

Roxas swallowed sharply. "I'm…I'm proud of Alysa for threatening to super-glue that helmet to your head," he said triumphantly.

_Ha! Avoided that one!_

Axel scowled. "I'll take that as a warped concern for my safely. You know you're proud of me. Just be honest. After all, I'm honest with _you_. I tell you everything, like how stupid your hair looked this morning, or how gross blueberry pop-tarts are, or how cute you look right now…"

Roxas, who had been absently sucking on his lip, almost swallowed it in surprise. "WHAT did you say?"

_SHIT! You didn't hear that. I didn't just say that. No words just came out of my mouth. COMMENT BEGONE!_

"What? I didn't say anything. You must have been imagining it. It must be the heat. Or the humidity. Or the heat," Axel babbled, tackling the rock wall like a dying man clawing at a life-raft.

Roxas wondered if he should pinch himself. Had Axel just…had he _really…_

"Actually I heard some brain tumors can cause random bursts of conversations that didn't really happen…you should check that out, wouldn't want you to die or anything—wait, that sounded wrong…"

"Axel. Just shut up for a second."

"Nope, nope, I'll just keep talking, drown your mind in words so you can't sort them all out, my master plan to scramble your brain so you can't remember a thing, aha!"

"Axel. Shut UP!"

"I mean, I don't want to mess with your mind, but you're clearly delusional, are you sure you're not heat-stroking?"

Roxas was scarlet-faced now, staring fixedly at Axel, who was ten feet off the ground and climbing.

"AXEL. SHUT. UP!"

And with that, he gave the rope a sharp and lethal tug.

Axel landed in a heap, his limbs all tangled up with the rope. Ouch. That hurt. He opened his eyes and saw Roxas, standing over him with a mutinous expression on his face.

Axel tried to jump away, but there was no room; he was trapped with his back to the wall. Roxas took another step in.

_Shit. Shitshitshit. Is he going to kill me? Does he have one of those Swiss army knives? Oh god, my greatest fear, being killed with a Swiss army knife…_

Well, if he was going to die, he was going to take it like a man.

Axel stood up, brushed off his clothes, faced Roxas, and prepared to bid a sweet sayonara to life and the hot boy who was about to take it away from him.

Roxas took another step forward, until he was practically at Axel's chest. His eyes, when he raised his face to look at Axel, were half-closed. His heart hammered in his chest, but when he spoke, his voice was calm and even, a light whisper that carried through the space between them.

"Don't you ever just…shut up?"

And without really knowing--or caring--why, Roxas took a deep breath, leaned forward, and pressed his lips lightly to Axel's.

* * *

It took Axel a moment to recover, as he was momentarily distracted by the fireworks of joy exploding in his mind. But when he realized what was happening; Roxas's lips, light and dry and insubstantial as a butterfly, pressed hesitantly against his own—well, he couldn't really be expected to control himself, could he? 

Roxas gave out a muffled yell of surprise as two strong hands grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him against the rock wall, Axel's head swooping down to deepen the kiss considerably, pressing hungrily onto Roxas' mouth, their lips sliding together messily.

Axel broke the kiss a second later.

"Sorry," he gasped out, gesturing the compromising position Roxas was now in. "Did that hurt?"

"No, not really," Roxas said thickly, feeling like he was about to fall down.

"Good, cause I thought it might be romantic, but then I second-guessed it after you yelped…."

"God, just _shut up_," Roxas murmured throatily.

Axel smiled softly, and his eyes suddenly looked very dark beneath his lashes. "Happily."

And he swooped in and claimed Roxas's soft lips in another bruising kiss, his hands snaking up Roxas' sides, tickling his shoulders, settling on the back of his neck as he deepened the kiss, making the fine hairs on Roxas' neck stand up.

Axel nipped hungrily at Roxas's bottom lip, putting weeks of pent-up frustration into this moment, this kiss. And when Roxas parted his lips, finally, he slowly explored the space between Roxas' lips, his tongue, his cheekbones and his eyelashes, leaving a trail of soft kisses down his neck and his shoulder before he nipped playfully at the other boy's collarbone, making Roxas think that he would have surely fallen down, right then and there, had Axel's hands not been reassuringly tight around his waist.

Roxas leaned up on his own, kissing the side of Axel's neck hungrily. He didn't quite know what he was doing or why, or if this meant he was gay or bi orclinically _insane_, but all that he knew was that this felt...right.

A few long moments later, Axel finally pulled away and said softly, "So are you proud of me now?"

Roxas chose to answer him non-verbally.

* * *

Down at the bottom of the cliff, Alysa pulled the binoculars away from her face to reveal a smile that would make a clown jealous. She handed them to her very stunned co-counselor, smugness radiating off her in waves. 

"You owe me twenty bucks."

* * *

Well. That was fun. Who guessed it would be this chapter? Extra brownie points for you. FYI, this is also my first time writing any sort of fluffiness, so let me know how I did! 

**Next Chapter:** You all thought that it would be all peachy-keen from now on, didn't you? Well...you're WRONG! I have one last plot twist up my sleeve…to be revealed next chapter…

Review for cookies….


	12. Alysa Sings the Song

My chapters have reached a dozen. Hoo-ray.

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but your love and affection. Which is not bankable. But it still makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

**Author's Note:**

Golly gee whiz.

You guys are the bestest. I keep saying it, and I mean it. Reallyandtruly.

Loved that you guys loved the fluff. This chapter is not as fluffy, but we are having some chapters later on that will be like pure fluffenutter. So unfortunately, we'll all have to wait anxiously on the edges our computer chairs until then.

About Kairi and Hayner; I have sort of been ignoring them. Like in this chapter, too. Oops. –is a bad fanfic writer- I'll make more of an effort next time to make them feel all special and included.

**Reviewers: (only gonna do a few from chapter 10, most are from 11)**

**ArosxIrukxOxarsxLeax: **Oh my god, your review. For chapter ten. Made me laugh. So hard. You have no idea. It was amazing. It made my day. Totally.

**Tihmm: **Thanks for the compliments…and about the Alysa thing, I like to think she's based off the dark side of my personality…like the Darth Vader to my Luke…-cringes at bad metaphor-

**RedBlackandWhite: **Oh, the stomachs. See, in my mind, Riku had a six-pack, but Sora has a flat stomach too. Just not a six-pack. And in his mind in that chapter a long time ago, Sora was like "Wahhh why can't I have a six pack." But Riku doesn't mind so much, he's just like "Yay Sora has a flat stomach!". In my mind. Yes.

**Slushie Blu: **Oh dear. Don't faint too much. Then you won't be awake for this update.

**Orangedcgirl: **Oh man. Sorry for getting in trouble with your large family –smiles- and glad you think I'm funny. –self esteem is boosted- YAY!

**Rivenwolfy: **What's onigiri? –is intrigued-

**AbnormallyWeirdPerson: **Glad your French toast exploits went better than Alysa's. I kind of suck at making French toast. It's like, 50/50 as to whether it turns out edible. But I make a mean chocolate chip pancake.

**Arika-of-the-Demons: **"Cooking and pure wondrous evil don't normally go together..." How true, my friend, how true.

**bob the builder: **Oo you made me so happy with all the wonderful compliments. Though please don't go building altars just yet- I don't think I would be that great of a god. Too messy, for one thing.

**AXENATOR: **Ohmygod, best name. Yay for being un-lazy and liking it so much.. I love hearing you guys think it's funny. Cause most of the time I just think I'm being random. –shoulder shrug- YAY!

**Kioko Yasu: **Hahah. Oh, that made me chuckle lots. You say Alysa's name like Alissa or Elissa or Alyssa or however else you want to spell it, Alysa was basically like I bet Roxas and Axel hook up bet me twenty dollars and Doug was fool enough to take it, and that last part will be revealed this chapter. OOoooOO.

**tiduskazurakitesora: **Someone likes cheetos.

PLOT TWIST AHOY!

* * *

Roxas peered at his watch worriedly. 

"Axel, we're already fifteen minutes late. Fifteen! Alysa could be tearing apart the camp in a womanly panic, looking for us, worried out of her mind. And whose fault is that? "

"Yours," the redhead said with a cheeky grin, butting his shoulder into Roxas'.

"Mine? How is it possibly my fault that you keep…you keep…"

"Darling, it's alright. You can use big boy words like 'kissing' and 'making out' and 'sticking my tongue down your throat'. I promise I won't tell mommy and daddy." Axel grinned and eyed the surrounding forest greedily. "Speaking of things mommy and daddy wouldn't approve of…"

"Axel… Axel, _NO_. We're already twenty—_oooff_!"

But he was cut off as Axel spotted a suitable tree and, after that, Roxas was unable to form coherent sentences.

Ten minutes later…

Roxas broke away from the intoxicating grasp of Axel's lips, gasping. "_Half an hou_r, Axel! She could be sending out the St. Bernard's by now!"

"Damn. I can see your mind is still in control," Axel purred, leaning low so that his breath ghosted across the bare skin of Roxas' neck. "I'll just have to work on transferring your decision making skills that to another, more desirable, part of your body…"

"We have to go, Axel," Roxas said, but less enthusiastically; the other boy had started to trail kisses down his neck, sucking appreciatively at his collarbone, his hands bracing Roxas' waist. Roxas felt as if he was melting. What had he been saying? Something about St. Bernard's? Or poodles?

"That's better," Axel murmured into Roxas' skin. "Now, let me remove that pesky watch…"

Roxas slapped his hand away, which was made difficult by the fact that dizzy waves were jumping up and down his spine like excited kangaroos.

"I should have known you were a sex fiend," he said, not really caring in the least. What was Axel doing to his shoulder…._ooooooh_.

"Only for you, my pet," Axel said, smiling appreciatively as Roxas' eyebrows fluttered. Maybe next Roxas would fall into Axel's arms and he would have to carry him, bridal style, through the woods…maybe some secret cave, with a garden and twin-set mattress, with central air-conditioning, and a lifetime's supply of condoms…

"You taste like candy," Axel said, right next to Roxas' ear.

"What kind?" Roxas said, not opening his eyes.

Axel was momentarily stumped. "Umm, not any particular kind. Just yummy, you know. Tasty."

"Please tell me you're not a cannibal."

That earned him a laugh from Axel, and a laugh from Axel meant that Roxas was momentarily free from the stranglehold of Axel's lips. He wondered if the other boy had been some sort of leech in his other life.

He shuddered. That was an unpleasant thought.

"We really have to go," Roxas said, trying to keep his disappointment out of his voice.

He grabbed Axel by the cuff and dragged him down the beaten trail back to camp. Luckily, the rock-climbing site they had chosen today was within walking distance of camp. He didn't know if he had the upper body strength to keep a bored Axel from smothering him with sexually charged kisses in the van. It wouldn't really do for everyone else to witness Axel taking the "backseat of the car" cliché to whole new levels.

Axel skipped along beside him. "Look, a little birdie!"

"Someone's in a good mood," Roxas said dryly.

"You kissssssseeed me," Axel sang out triumphantly, leaping in the air like a sugar-high bunny rabbit. "And then I slammed you into a marble wallllll. And kissed you backkkkk."

"I was there, remember?"

Axel waggled his eyebrows at Roxas. "Oh, do I ever."

They walked in a comfortable silence for the next few moments. Axel had taken Roxas' hand, wrapping his fingers comfortably around the other boy's, and Roxas had admit it felt nice. Admittedly, Axel's hands were rough and chapped from climbing, and he thought the other boy might have a cut, or something, because he felt something warm and suspiciously liquid trickling between their interlocked fingers, but aside from that, everything was pretty much alright. Aside from the fact that they were coming up on forty-five minutes late.

Axel still wore his goofy-chipmunk smile. "I still can't believe you kissed me. And I thought you _hated_ me."

"I did, for a while," Roxas admitted readily, smiling a little. "You were so goddamned annoying, and sort of a sexual predator..."

"Gee. Thanks, Rox."

"But you were a _cute_ sexual predator," Roxas finished shyly. "And…well…when you said that…I don't know, it felt like the right thing to do. A gut instinct, or something."

"I don't think that was your gut talking, Rox."

Roxas blushed furiously. "Shut up. I'm still trying to deal with this. I mean, what are the others gonna say? Kairi and Hayner, Sora, and Alysa and Doug…Riku?"

"They will all be insanely jealous." Axel said promptly, squeezing Roxas' hand. More blood gushed out. "They know they want some of this."

Roxas laughed and pushed Axel, who teetered tipsily, both of them chuckling gleefully. They were almost to the road that divided the forest from the campsite.

Axel leaned over to give Roxas a quick, chaste kiss on the lips. "You ready, my darling dearest?"

"Ready, _Axel_."

Axel's eyes sparkled as he dragged Roxas across the street. "Whatever you say, my little sugar plum."

* * *

Alysa was standing smack in the middle of the campsite when Axel and Roxas trudged in. Her eyes were narrowed, and her mouth was pursed in a small line. 

She was holding a spatula.

Axel and Roxas stopped dead.

"How late are you, boys?" she asked softly, whacking the spatula against her hand a few times in a menacing fashion.

Roxas gulped. She wouldn't attack them- right? Weren't there laws, or something, to protect him and his childhood innocence from the crazy threats of spatula-wielding counselors?

Well, maybe not that _specifically._

"An hour?" Roxas guessed, resisting the urge to run and hide behind Axel.

"An hour, two minutes, and fifty two seconds!" Alysa said, stopping the stopwatch on her wrist with a small, pitiful _beep_. "That is a long time! What were you doing, searching for the Holy Grail? I hope you weren't doing crack cocaine, or heroin shots, or something. Did Riku give you brownies? I told you; NEVER TAKE THE BROWNIES."

"Alysa…it's really not that…"

"We were just…erm…lost…"

The boys huddled together for safety, withering under her smoldering gaze.

Alysa's eyebrows snapped together as she surveyed the two boys in front of her.

"Hey Axel?" she asked sweetly, taking a few steps forward.

"Yeah?" Axel said, wincing.

"Why is your hand on Roxas' ass?"

Both boys jumped apart as it bitten, blushing and trying furiously to explain themselves.

"Axel! How could you!"

"I was just looking for my…erm…lighter…it was in your back pocket, right, Roxas?"

"Oh, right, I thought something was burning back there…"

"Right, so I'll just remove my hand now and go stand over there…."

Alysa's grin had slowly been increasing throughout the entire conversation. She crossed her hands behind her back and leaned forward. Both boys, on opposite sides of the campsite, watched her in abject terror.

She looked at them.

They looked at her.

She opened her mouth.

Their faces fell.

"Alysa…no…wait!"

"AXEL AND ROXAS," Alysa bellowed, hands on her hips, "SITTING IN A TREE. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Sora's unruly head popped out from his tent flap, looking baffled. Riku stepped out from the fire-pit,wearing an expression that looked as though someone had just prodded him with a tazer, and even Kairi and Hayner staggered out of the forest, looking confused and disoriented.

Distantly, everyone could hear Doug's voice, all the way from the bathrooms, shouting despairingly, "NO, ALYSA! NOT THE SONG!"

The wicked grin was in full position on Alysa's face now. "C'mon, sing it with me!" she said, gesturing at her hapless campers. "AXEL AND ROXAS, SITTING IN A TREE. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Roxas was now trying to hide behind a large boulder. Axel ran over to where he was crouching in the fetal position, yanked him to his feet, and slung a pale arm around his shoulders, which was useful, as Roxas was trying to crawl back into his hole.

"And _proud of it_!" Axel yelled out, smiling encouragingly.

Roxas covered his face with his hands. "Discretion, Axel! What happened to being _discreet_!"

Axel shrugged. "Alysa ruined it."

"That's my specialty," Alysa said enthusiastically. "And let me tell you, I think it's smashing. You two are the cutest little oddball couple I ever helped set up!"

"What?"

"Oddball?"

"_Set up_?"

Alysa quickly summoned up a blank expression. "Did I say something? I swear, I can't remember saying anything. Must be your love-struck little ears playing tricks on you."

She grinned at the glares she was receiving. "Aww, shucks. There's an hour before dinner. Run, be free, frolic in the fields! I'm off to go collect on a bet…" she murmured under her breath, and disappeared down the long path through the forest.

There was an awkward silence as Axel and Roxas, pressed close in the middle of the clearing, were subjected to four simultaneous open-mouth gawks.

"What are you looking at?" Axel snapped.

The fellow campers quickly muttered things along the lines of, "water" "sleep" "food" and scattered like frightened fawns.

Except for Sora.

He tentatively approached the new couple as if they might explode at any second, and tapped Roxas on the arm. "Can we talk? In private?"

Roxas looked at Axel. He looked at Sora. "Sure," he said, a bit hesitantly. He hoped Sora wasn't some sort of homophobe who was about to beat him up. But he had admitted to liking Riku- hadn't he? Maybe it was some sort of clever ploy to get him to open up about Axel. Maybe he was a undercover spy, or murderer, or something…did he remember seeing Sora with any stakes? Sharp weapons?

Too late now.

"You hooked up? With Axel?" Sora said, his voice a decibel above squeaky.

Roxas shrugged in an embarrassed sort of way. "Well..yeah."

"How was it?"

Roxas double-taked. "What now?"

Sora shuffled his feet. "I mean, was it weird? Cause it was a boy?"

Roxas stared at Sora as if he had grown three heads. There went the theory about spies. "No. It was actually kind of awesome, to tell you the truth."

"Was it?" Sora asked wistfully, shooting a gaze across the campsite.

Roxas followed his gaze, to where Riku was engaged in deep conversation with Axel. "Why do you ask?" he said, his eyebrow raised.

Sora immediately turned the color of tomato juice. "Umm…n-no reason….n-no reason at all."

Roxas said nothing, simply stared at him in wordless disbelief.

"I'm not gay! I mean, not that t-that's a bad thing, hehe…"

"Sureeee," Roxas drawled, turning away from Sora. "But when you need to, go for the neck. Axel likes it- I'm sure Riku will, too."

Sora turned violet and sputtered incoherently for a few more seconds.

Roxas sighed and turned away, making his way back to Axel. Sora would realize it eventually. After all, _he _had.

* * *

But when Axel stormed over five minutes later, Roxas knew, with that exact sinking feeling in his gut, that something was terribly wrong. 

And, as usual, he was totally right.

"That BASTARD!" Axel yelped, red-faced to match his hair. He stomped a circle around Roxas as if trying to make the ground feel his anger, and perhaps give him a sympathy earthquake.

Roxas quickly reached out to touch Axel's arm, slowing him down. "What's that matter? Who's a bastard? Do you want me to punch them?"

"Don't…he's just…ARG! RIKU!"

Sora peeked out from behind Roxas hesitantly. "Riku? What about Riku?"

"Riku? I don't know any Riku. Just a self-serving, mean-spirited, doesn't-know-how-to-stick-to-his-own-buisness BASTARD!" Axel shouted in the direction of Riku's tent, which neither opened nor responded.

"Wait. What is going on?"

Axel took a deep breath, some of the color draining his face and leaving him cool and pale; a scarier look that made the flashing emeralds of his eyes stand out sharply against his face, his hair like a flaming halo. His eyes locked on Roxas' own, he said simply, "He told me to break up with you."

Roxas stepped back as though slapped, his face wary. Sora was the one who managed to say, "But _why_?"

"I don't know!" Axel yelled, hands balled into fists. Roxas had never seen him this angry, only calm, only sad, only joking and sweet and passionate. But now he was mad, mad and frustrated and scary, pale-faced and intense.

"He told me that I should stay away from you and all the other boys here, that I shouldn't prey on them…like I was some kind of disease," Axel spat out, looking disgusted. "Then he told me that I would only confuse you and break your heart and keep you from living happily, and that I was a _bad influence_."

Shocked silence.

"Does…does that mean…" Sora looked as though he was about to throw up.

"Homophobe," Axel finished the sentence, his breath a whispered hush among the sudden onrush of silence.

Roxas suddenly rushed toward Axel and wrapped his arms around the other boy's small waist. Axel looked down at him, clearly shocked and pleased.

"Then he's an idiot," Roxas murmured into the soft fabric of Axel's t-shirt. "I'm staying with you."

Sora, off the side, watched as Axel wordlessly wrapped his arms around Roxas' slim frame, feeling his stomach churn. He felt sick. He felt disappointed. He felt stupid and embarrassed and most of all, he was _pissed off_. How could Riku say that, do those things, after….

A tent flap unzipped on the other side of the clearing, and Riku stepped out, a pained expression on his face.

* * *

Sora was the one who got to him first, the rage boiling in his veins encouraging him to skip right over the polite formalities of screaming abuses and skip directly to the next step. 

So he tackled him.

"Sora, what—_ahhhh_!"

Sora hit any part of Riku he could reach, glancing blows off the arms and chest, his legs kicking fruitlessly at Riku's knees and feet, his hands landing faint blows on the neck and face. With every blow he felt dizzier and angrier, instead of calming down, and he realized, to his horror, that he was crying, warm tears spilling down over his cheekbones and falling lightly onto Riku's shocked face.

"Sora, what is going—ow, stop that! STOP!"

Riku pushed him off bodily as if he was a sack of potatoes. Sora landed heavily in the dirt. The silver-haired boy, horrified, rushed over. "Sora, I'm sorry, are you okay--"

"Don't TOUCH ME!" Sora yelled, scampering away until he was under the protective stares of Roxas and Axel, arms around each other. The three boys faced down Riku, cool and merciless.

A trickle of blood oozed down Riku's forehead, hanging off the point of his nose.

"I don't understand…" he said softly.

"I told them what you told me," Axel said levelly, glaring at Riku with a gaze that would freeze water.

Riku only looked more confused. "You told them…and what, now they want to attack me?"

Sora and Roxas nodded heavily.

"You told them what I said?" He whirled on the two smaller boys, his face a mask of anxiety. "And you want to stay with him? You hate me, because I told the truth?"

"You bet," Sora said, fire simmering within his veins. How could he have…how could he have _ever_…

"I don't buy into your version of the truth," Roxas said coolly. "Never have."

"It's not my version, it's what's right!" Riku looked desperate for them to understand him. "I don't think you guys are getting the whole story…"

"I don't care about your stories," Roxas burst out. "I'm staying with him. I should have known you were going to be like this…you...you...you.…"

"I what?" Riku said, and his voice had taken on a hint of cold, quiet anger.

"You called me _gay_!"

* * *

Silence in the clearing. 

"That was years ago, and I don't see how that's relevant," Riku said icily, and his hands were balled into fists.

Roxas practically choked on his laugher. "Don't-don't…we were eight! We were friends, Riku! You ruined it! Seems to be something you're good at , nowadays."

"I only called you gay because you kissed me," Riku said, his voice soft and deadly.

Roxas turned red; with anger or embarrassment; no one could tell. "You kissed me back! And then you told everyone that I was GAY!"

"I should have known that was still about this," Riku said, turning to go back into his tent.

"Hey! I'm not done!"

"No, I think you are!" Riku yelled for the first time, striding back to tower over Roxas. "You want to stay with him, you want to play your little games and blame me, _again_, you just go on your merry little way. Leave me alone, and have a nice life," he hissed, and strode back to his tent, quick, angry steps.

"And by the way….I was _right_, wasn't I?"

One last glare and he had vanished into the olive confines of his tent.

* * *

Sora felt like he had been punched. 

"I can't believe it," he murmured, sinking the ground, clutching the soft tendrils of grass between his fingers, as if that would help him make the last few minutes disappear.

Roxas took a deep breath and patted him reassuringly on the head. "Don't worry, Sora. You're better off without him."

"I never had him," Sora said passionlessly. "I'm not gay, remember?"

Roxas and Axel exchanged a look. "Let's just forget him, 'kay?"

Alysa strode into the clearing, hesitation on her face for the first time in recent memory. She was holding a wad of bills, which she quickly stuffed into the pockets of her hoodie.

"You were listening the whole time, weren't you?" Roxas said dully, not looking up.

She nodded. "I suppose this isn't the best time to have the birds and the bees talk with you two?"

The joke fell flat, and she knew it. She intercepted Sora's pleading look and sighed, picking up instantly on what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry. I can't change the groups. You're stuck with him, sweetie."

"But…there must be something I can do, anything, anything at all…"

She shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry. The only thing you can do is try."

He buried his head in his hands. "If I die, tell my mom it was a crazed bear, not a homophobic maniac."

"Will do," Alysa said. "But maybe Riku isn't…"

"Did you just listen to that conversation?"

She sighed heavily, her arms folded across her chest. "I'm the counselor, right? I'm supposed to fix these things?"

She glared resolutely at the wall of the tent. "I'm going in, guys. Wish me well."

No one did.

* * *

"Riku. Riku. I know you're in there. Unless you've dug some sort of escape tunnel. Which I would be sort of impressed with, if I wasn't hopelessly confused as to why you went schitzo on three people who were on their way to becoming near and dear to you. Excuse my cheesiness." 

Silence. She rattled the tent on it's foundations, feeling frustrated. "Riku. You can't stay in there forever. A man cannot live on marshmallows and grass alone."

"I don't understand…" came a muffled voice, which sounded, to Alysa's acute surprise,overwhelmed and despairing; so far from Riku's usual cool. "I only told them…"

He trailed off.

"Only told them what?" Alysa prodded gently.

_Patience, patience. I know I have some of that somewhere._

Silence from the tent.

_Screw it._

"Riku, you either need to tell me what's wrong, or you can sulk in this tent for the rest of the night. Up to you."

Nothing.

She sighed noisily, giving the tent one last shake. "Fine. We'll talk tomorrow. Preferably about how you're_ not_ going to kill Sora. Got me?"

Riku waited until he could hear her footsteps walking slowly away, then laid his head down gingerly on his pillow, resisting the urge to hug it- or punch it, he wasn't sure. Tomorrow. What was he going to do about tomorrow?

He was pretty sure about one thing, though; whatever happened, neither of them was coming back down there unchanged.

* * *

Oh. Don't hate me. Please. –cringe- 

So basically...that was the plot twist. Who's confused? Don't worry, all will be explained. Just know that for now, Sora and Riku are angrified. Not the best, I know, but I couldn't just have them make out for the rest of the time.

-fans glare-

Well, it wouldn't have a plot!

-fans still glare-

It wouldn't survive on pure fluff!

-fans still still glare-

Oh, what the hell. It will all be resolved soon, anyways.

You know what to do. Review!


	13. Conga!

Chapter THIRTEEN! It's unlucky! OHNOES!

Not really, though.

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing…..

**Author's Note:**

Sooo some people have expressed concern about the end of the story. And I am sorrowed to say that this story will end after chapter fifteen. Savor the last three chapters, people, cause even though we all want it to be true, this story can't go on forever…

Once again, BLOWN AWAY by reviews. And a lot of new reviewers, too, which made me superextrahappy. Yays.

In other news, I'm eating chocolate chocolate chip ice cream with cookie dough and listening to All Time Low as I write this. You know you're jealous.

**Reviewers: **

**RedBlackandWhite: **Hope you got my message 'bout the Alysa thingy, and hope it helped. I also have many alter egos. One of them is named Alysa. –wink-

**bOb the bUilder: **Jeez, I wish Alysa was my counselor too. We could like, take over the world. And start that religion. Hehe.

**Hoshiko-Kun: **I've never been called a bitching writer before. It kind of makes me really happy.

**AbnormallyWeirdPerson: **Haha, Riku is totally emo. I got a sticker this weekend that said Don't Be Emo and had a sad face underneath. It made me chuckle. Just to let you know. Hehe.

**ArosxIrukxOxarsxLeax: **PIE! –goes off to find pie-

**theCHELLE-STER: **Thanks for the many reviews…three, I think…yay! But no cookies for me last chapter...oh well, I'll have to survive off this ice cream...not such a bad deal, after all..

**lamenshic: **I suppose I could give you Demyx. Caues he writes you love songs, and all. Hmm…sounds fun…-grabs Demyx back- -grin-

**Leeduhlee: **Oh my god, makes me so happy to hear that story. Seriously. Cause some other writers on this site made me a yaoi fangirl (i was never a homophobe, fortunately) and to hear that I did that for lots of other people makes me sunny and happy inside. THANKYOUUU!

**Akurei: **You talk about me on the phone? I feel all famous and special now. –sparkles- YAY FOR YOU!

**Rivenwolfy: **Onigiri sounds yummy. And the camping thing made me smile.

**NARUfreak: **Ouchie. Those arrows hurt. But you can put the bow down soon, hopefully…-smile-

**Anilucard: **Aww, thanks for all the lovely compliments…-blush-

**Riku Shikyou the Lady of Yaoi: **Banana cookies? EXCELLENT!

**MyHiddenStory: **YOU'RE BACK! YAY! –happy dance- And how was your trip? Glad you enjoy the story so far…but I have more tricks up my sleeves! Sort of. Yay!

Here we go…it's longer than normal, too…-wink-

* * *

Sora surveyed the parking lot stretching out before him with a mounting sense of despair. Shouldering his duffel bag, he pointedly looked away from the silver-haired boy standing awkwardly next to him. Riku had not said a single word to any of them all morning; and Sora was desperate to keep it that way. 

"Oh, children! Come to me. Let me load you up with presents--of the camping variety!"

Sora tore his gaze away from the emerald forests surrounding him and walked with heavy feet back to Velma, where Alysa was perched on top of a small mountain of equipment, looking rather pleased with herself.

"You want us to carry all _that_?" Roxas asked, eyeing a large grill, complete with a bottle of marinade sauce stuck haphazardly between two of the legs. "I think you must have confused us with camels, or gorillas, or perhaps Mack trucks."

"Relax," Alysa said soothingly, patting the grill lovingly. "This stuff isn't for you."

"You're having a barbeque? _Without us_?" Axel's eyes bugged out in disbelief.

"But darlings, Doug and I will be so lonely without your angelic presences…we'll need someone to comfort us. Lots of someones. And perhaps a someone bringing a snow-cone machine. And a couple someones with a moon-bounce…."

"ALYSA!"

She smiled innocently, stretching her long legs. "What? Like I said. Terribly lonely. Terribly. Maybe I'll save you a stick of cotton candy, or something."

"What's going on?" Doug said, ambling over from where he had been staring stoically into the horizon with his hands on his hips, taking deep, sucking breaths of air.

"Nothing, Dougie," Alysa said sweetly, whipping the barbeque sauce behind her back. "Just talking about how we were going to miss the kids so terribly. All alone in the wilderness..."

"And we _will _miss you!" Doug said emphatically, casting sorrowful looks at his campers. "Don't forget, you can always call us on your emergency cell phones. Even if you just want to chat, or run out of food, or hear a strange sound, or have a strange man stalking you in the dark…"

Doug gave a little twitch.

"Anyways, anytime. Give us a call."

"Except tonight," Alysa said quickly.

"What? Why can't they call us tonight?"

"Umm…the people next to us told me they'll be setting off fireworks. Very loud fireworks. Of the explosive variety. Boom boom!"

Doug stared at her in wordless disbelief.

"Fine. I'll put my phone on vibrate," Alysa said grumpily, and rested her head on a piñata.

"All settled, then," Doug said triumphantly. "Do you guys have your stuff?"

They shook their heads.

"Oh, that," Alysa said distractedly, and reached behind her into the cavernous messes of popcorn and what looked suspiciously like coconut bras. After a few seconds, she re-emerged and threw three dusty bags at the foot of the van. They rattled loudly when they hit the asphalt.

"There you go! All that you need to survive in the wild."

Hayner peered into a bag, almost getting his nose caught in the snaps. "Alysa, this is a bag with two pans, matches, and a tent."

"Right," Alysa said, looking confused. "Like I said, all you need."

"Maybe if you're the Swiss Family Robinson," Roxas said unhappily, searching despondently for any sort of music device and coming up short.

"I find the simple life extraordinarily enriching," Alysa said, staring up into the cloudless sky. "It's just you and nature, forging a way, making a path…"

Her cell phone rang noisily. She picked it up with an annoyed roll of her eyes.

"Hello? No, the coolers should be set up next to the moon bounce, across from the cotton candy machine. What? No, the stereo system should be next to the docks. Near to the dancefloor. _Duh_."

She hung up and shook her head at her campers, who were gaping at her, open-mouthed. "People these days. Can't use their heads. Where was I?"

"Gah," Roxas said.

"Right!" Alysa crooned triumphantly. "The simple life. And it's many, many benefits."

But Sora was rummaging through his bag in something of a panic, and hadn't heard a single word she said. Pawing through the materials one more time. He made a mental checklist. Pot. Pan. Water Jug. Matches. Tent.

_Tent!_

"Alysa," Sora said, hoping his voice wasn't cracking, "there's only one tent in our bag."

"Yes, of course. Were you expecting an RV? We've tried, duckling, but they just can't seem to fit…"

"One tent!" Sora said, his voice rising to an excited screech. "We're _sharing_ tents?"

"Oh _yes_!" Axel said joyfully. Roxas punched him.

"Oh_ no_," Sora said, moaning. "You've got to be kidding me."

Riku cast his eyes downward and moved to stand next to Doug, out of earshot. Sora felt bad; for half a second.

"Alysa. Please. You don't know what he's capable of. Maybe he's got some kind of knife, or cane, or sharp rock! Have you searched his bag? Do you have a metal detector in there?" Sora asked worriedly, trying to peer around Alysa to survey the contents of the van.

She shooed him away. "Despite what you're feeling about Riku right now, he's still my camper, and I am not in the practice of subjecting my campers to body cavity searches."

"Are you sure we can't switch?" Sora asked in a whisper, casting a hurried glance over his shoulder. "For my safety?"

"For god's sakes, Sora. He's a teenage boy, not a rabid circus clown. And you were getting along fine before this."

She held up a hand as he started to protest indignantly. "Yes, I know you think he's a massive homophobe and everything, but seeing as you keep insisting, very loudly, that you're not gay, he has no reason to vent this 'murderous rage' on you. Unless you're not telling us something?"

Sora blushed and murmured something about his great attraction to the female race.

"So for the last time; you're not switching. And if Riku does turn out to have a _very_ dangerous sharp rock in his pocket," Alysa said, her eyes twinkling, "call me. Just not after nine. That's conga time!"

Sora slumped away dejectedly, and Axel and Roxas attempted to sneak off with him.

"Hold it!" Alysa called out.

They cringed.

"What?" Axel said, wrapping his arm around Roxas for protection. Who knew what Alysa had in that van? Rebulls? Tiki torches?

"Speaking of conga lines, that's a nice hickey, Roxas."

"Why, thank you," Axel said proudly, hugging the blond boy possessively as Roxas winced, embarrased.

Alysa twirled a beaded necklace between her fingers idly. "Seeing as you two are clearly…_hormonal_…and are going to be sharing a tent…I assume you've talked about the birds and the bees? Or in this case, the birds and the birds? Or the bees and the bees? I never knew which was which…"

"Yes," said Roxas, turning the shade of an overripe tomato.

_My counselor is not talking to me about sex. My counselor is not talking to me about sex. My counselor is not…_

"I want to talk about sex," Alysa said bluntly.

_Dammit._

"That's ok," Roxas said, gritting his teeth and attempting to pull Axel away. "Health class. Eight grade. There was a banana. I got the picture."

"This is hard for me to talk about about," said Alysa, looking as though she was having the time of her life. "But it's important to cover the issues…"

"We're not having sex," Roxas said in a low growl.

"We're _NOT_?"

"No," said Roxas, his coloring progressing to a plum sort of purple. "We're not."

"But why not? I thought we were secure in our relationship, Rox. I thought…I brought a whole box of condoms!"

"You brought condoms?" Alysa asked interestedly.

Axel nodded. "Yeah, of course."

"Oh, alright then," Alysa said happily. "That's all I wanted to talk about. Carry on with your argument, though, it's kind of fun to watch."

"No," Roxas said firmly. "To both your requests, _no_."

"But what are we going to do with all the condoms?" Axel asked worriedly.

"You could blow those fun balloons," Alysa suggested.

Axel brightened immediately. "We could, couldn't we?"

He and Roxas walked off, discussing the merits of latex versus ribbed.

Alysa smiled to herself, hugging a tub of raspberry syrup. "And thus, my work here is done."

* * *

"Hey. You okay?" 

Sora looked up in surprise, and met blue eyes, framed by a shock or red hair. "What?"

"You just looked kind of sad," Kairi said, squatting down next to him. "You feeling alright?"

"Fine," Sora said dully, feeling anything but.

"Riku?" she asked sympathetically.

Sora sighed. "Yeah. I'm worried he'll murder me with a sharp rock."

That drew a laugh from her. "Just get a sharper one."

Sora smiled at her in spite of himself. "I haven't talked to you in a while, have I?"

"You've been kind of pre-occupied." Kairi said with a small smile.

"I know. All this climbing…"

She hid a laugh behind her hand. "Not exactly what I was referring to…"

Sora looked at her, confused.

"Remember that quiz I made you take?"

"How could I forget?" Sora said, shuddering.

"Well…" Kairi said, looking sly, "Just remember that things can happen in unexpected places. Surprising things."

Sora snorted. "Thanks for clearing that up."

"Aw, don't be sad," Kairi said, giving Sora an awkward half-kneeling hug. "Things aren't that bad. Who knows…you may actually have fun!"

Sora looked at her incredulously. "Do you consider excruciating pain fun? Cause if so, you might want to see a doctor about that. Or buy a whip, or something…."

Kairi laughed. "Don't be stupid. Just…go with it, okay?"

"Whatever you say, Kairi."

* * *

Five minutes later and the six campers were lined up in an orderly row before Velma, packs shoulders and expressions of resignation on their features. Alysa had a passing notion that they should being wearing combat boots and saluting her. Oh, the possibilities. 

"Righio, kiddos. You're off. Have fun. Don't die. That would make me unhappy and ruin my luau, and that, in turn, would make me more unhappy. It's like a downward spiral of unhappiness, you see?"

"Goodbye to you, too," Axel said dryly.

She smiled at them; a soft smile. "Bye, ducklings. Have fun, and then come home to me. I'll be so terribly lonely without you around."

"But not _too_ lonely," Roxas muttered.

Alysa pursed her lips, her eyes wicked. "No, I think I'll survive. Cotton candy will help ease the pain."

"Goodbye, all of you!" Doug said, reaching for his pocket handkerchief and sniffing loudly. "Remember; cell phones!"

"Not after nine!" Alysa called out. "Congaaa!"

The six of them turned around and faced the forest; a verdant expanse that seemed to stretch on for miles. Somewhere in the depths, there were three different trails that would separate them into twos; all alone.

"Let's go," Roxas said softly, and they began to walk away, slowly at first, then faster and faster until they were near jogging toward the forest, bags jiggling merrily on their backs, before disappearing under the cover of the branches.

"Well," Doug said, wiping his eyes.

"Well," Alysa said softly.

"What do we do now?" Doug asked, turning to his co-counselor in trepidation.

She shrugged. "There's a few hours before the par-I mean, dinner. Time enough to check up on them…" she said with a half-smile, reaching behind her for her binoculars.

Doug reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her. He looked at her, then towards the forest, a sad smile on his lips. "No. They're on their own now."

Alysa slowly prized her hand away from Doug's, and when she tipped her gaze toward the distant tree-line, her face was thoughtful. "You're right. We can't help them anymore."

A slow smile ghosted across her lips. "It's up to them, now."

* * *

It had been only half and hour of walking up the trail in an awkward, uneasy silence, and already Riku could feel the hatred that was emanating off Sora in waves; prickly, uncomfortable, accusatory. With every soft footfall or ragged breath, it blew Riku back like a cannon, pushing him away. 

He wondered if he should say something. Should he say something? What should he say? Had he said _hello_ or _good morning_ to Sora today? Riku decided that was the way to start, and ignored all his feelings of anxiety. If he focused on them, he wasn't sure he was going to be able to resist pinning Sora against a tree and asking, for the love of god, why was he so mad?

So he settled on good morning.

"Good morning," Riku said stiffly.

Sora looked up, clear blue eyes flashing in the dappled light. "It's one in the afternoon, Riku."

"Oh," Riku said, feeling hideously awkward for the first time in recent memory. "Then, good afternoon."

"Don't talk to me," Sora snapped, a pained expression on his face, looking downward.

"Oh. Sorry."

"That's talking."

Riku opened his mouth to apologize, but then shut up quickly, remembering.

He wanted a lot of things to be different. He wanted to be talking to Sora in the easy way he had grown accustomed to, building up the banter and the easiness until the other boy was as close to him as…well, Riku couldn't really say.

But at the same time….

He didn't want to grovel like a slave to this sliver of a boy, who was shorter than him, slightly younger than him, and less experienced in most things than him, Riku, the lady-killer.

But that description didn't have the same ring of triumph as it had a few months ago, where it was guaranteed to produce at least one smug expression, and perhaps a curled lip. Now it just felt wrong. Another thing he could blame on Sora.

"I'll talk if I want to," Riku said defiantly, his hands on his hips.

Sora didn't respond, just kept walking.

"Fine. I suppose you won't let me explain…"

"No," Sora said curly, still not meeting Riku's intoxicating turquoise eyes.

The anger welled up inside Riku again, bitter to the taste. "Fine. If you can't even listen to me, what's the point in even trying?"

"Exactly," Sora said.

Riku only stepped over on a boulder, not bothering to wait for Sora to catch up with him.

* * *

Riku leaned back in his harness and pulled the rope tight, almost enjoying the tight soreness that burned across his fingers. He resisted the urge to look down; previous experience had taught him the dangers of staring to long at Sora while climbing. 

Especially when he was mad at Sora.

Well, sort of mad.

Not really mad.

Confused. Hopelessly confused.

Riku gritted his teeth noisily.

"Sounds like you're chewing rocks," Sora remarked dryly, then froze as he realized what he was doing. Talking with Riku! About _rocks_!

"Looks like you're falling," said Riku, delighted, and saved Sora from a painful death as the younger boy slipped off the rock in shock.

Sora scowled as he dangled in midair. "I thought we weren't talking."

"You started it," Riku said, with a little smile.

"And I'm ending it," Sora said sharply, catching the edge of the ledge and pulling himself up. "Now clip me in."

Riku obliged, the little smile still on his face. He reached out and grabbed the lapels of Sora's harness, winding the rope through it slowly.

"I can do it," Sora said quickly, grabbing the rope out of Riku's hands. But the other boy didn't let go for a few seconds, leaving Sora awkwardly grabbing at Riku's long, slender fingers. Their skin brushed, as warm as a sudden summer breeze.

Sora took a quick, sharp breath and tried to grab the rope out of Riku's tight grasp, but missed in his lunge, falling past the other boy and off the teetering ledge, arms and legs flailing wildly.

"Sora!"

Riku leapt over and pulled the rope, which was still attached to Sora's harness, as tight as it would go, bouncing Sora away from the edge of the cliff and pulling him high into the air. The force of his rescue sent Sora spinning like a top, the rope Riku was attached to getting tangled in the ropey mess, and before Riku could even say, "Oops," the other boys were tangled in a spider's web of climbing rope, twisted so tightly together that they were chest-to-chest, their noses almost touching.

Sora's first thought was;_ This must be when he pulls out the weapon…goodbye, sweet young life…Wait, is his nose touching mine?_

Riku's first thought was; _Oh. Well. That worked well. Holy shit. Is his nose touching mine?_

The two boys locked eyes for a breathless second, arms and limbs all tangled, breaths coming fast and shallow in the close space.

Then both of them started to struggle frantically.

"It's no use," Riku gasped out after a few moments of intense twisting, bending, stretching, and a tiny bit of biting. He had been right; Sora _was _surprisingly bendy.

"Don't say that!" Sora panicked. "There's a use! _There's a use, dammit_!"

"You're not making sense," Riku soothed, trying to calm Sora down, which was not helped by the fact that Sora's legs had somehow snaked between his own. _Focus. Focus._

"You have to stop struggling!" Riku said, frustrated. He would have reached out to steady Sora, had his arms not been pinned to his sides.

Sora didn't stop, just twisted and jumped around like he was trying to do the jitterbug, and instead tangling them both us more in the process.

"Sora. Sora! SORA!"

It was no use. And now Sora's hair, which was quite pointy, was poking him in the eye. Riku decided to use desperate measures.

"_Owww!"_ Sora stopped struggling and winced, trying to peer up at his forehead, where Riku had just head-butted him. "What was that for?"

"You were getting hysterical," Riku said, wearing an identical expression of pain.

"I wasn't," Sora muttered, flushing. "I was just being vigorous in my escape attempts."

"Look," Riku said patiently, his turquoise eyes boring into Sora's own, "the only way we're getting out of this is slowly, and carefully. So that means don't move. At all. Got me?"

Sora nodded sullenly.

Riku inched upward a bit, his legs pointed on the stone, and wiggled to try to free an arm. It was stuck solid. "Can you reach my arm?"

Sora wrinkled his nose. "Why would I want to do that?"

"You want to get out of this oversize flytrap, don't you?'

Sora sighed and gingerly reached out and pressed against Riku's arm. It was reassuringly warm and solid as he gingerly gripped it in his fingers and tried to free it from the plethora of ropes that had wound around the muscle. Gently and deliberately, Sora prized them away, being careful not to drag his fingernails against Riku's pale skin.

"Good," Riku murmured, lifting his newly free arm. "Now hold still."

But it was hard to, with Riku reaching around his neck like that, with Riku's face so very close to his own. Sora knew he was blushing and silently cursed his fair, Irish complexion. Riku's arm was snaking down his back..

"Relax," Riku's voice said, right next to his ear. "I'm getting the main rope."

Sora's eyes snapped open. Riku was so close…too close….

"Hey, Sora?" Riku said, his eyes clouded with uncertainty.

The ropes fell loose around them, and the boys landed in a heap on the ground.

Sora brushed the loose strands off of him and scooted as far away down the ledge as possible, his back to the ledge, so solid and safe. Riku kept doing those things, and he couldn't take it any more, and his hands were balling into fists…

"You okay?" Riku asked, coming over, looking so concerned that Sora wanted to punch him.

"Get away from me," Sora said in a low voice, pressing himself against the wall.

Riku stopped as though slapped, looking so wounded Sora could hardly stand it.

_He's an egomaniacal, self-serving, homophobe. No._

"Let's just…let's just not talk for the rest of the day, okay?" Sora said quietly.

Riku stared at him for a long second, his eyes sharp and cutting, before he said softly, "I'm not going to stop you."

Sora turned away from him, tightened his harness, and began to climb, away from the ledge, away from Riku.

* * *

Sora was on the edge of the cliff, watching the sky turn from a dark, brilliant blue to the shadowy darkness of night. He was trying to appreciate the glory of the starburst sunset, enjoying nature, and making peace with his inner soul, and whatnot. 

And also, he was trying to spend as much time as possible outside the tent.

He could hear a rustling behind him and knew that Riku was already inside. His stomach plummeted uneasily, as it had that time he had eaten a shrimp cocktail before he found out he was allergic to shellfish. At least he didn't have hives.

Yet.

He sighed into the twilight. Riku hadn't talked to him after the rope incident, and although he thought he would have been relived, the awkward silence was almost too much to take. And there would be those times, when Riku would just look at him, not saying anything…

Sora wondered if he could spend the night outside without being eaten.

The wind blew softly over his arms, and he shivered a little in the chill. The air felt damp, like it did before heavy rain. So it looked like it was either tent or hypothermia. Sora was torn.

It was really a shame, he reflected. Riku and he had been getting close, admittedly…very close. Before he found out..

_Found out what?_

That he's a homophobe.

_Is that the end of the world?_

Sora turned his face away, into the darkness of the night. The cool night air stung his cheeks, and wind ghosted through his hair. He felt lost and confused, and he wanted someone, anyone there to tell him what the hell he was supposed to do in these situations. Then again, he didn't really know exactly what kind of situation he was in.

_What would Alysa do?_ he asked himself.

_Find a way to drug Riku with Redbull, then strap some branches to his arms and tell him the cliff was that way._

Sora smiled into the darkness.

_I would tell you to find out what's going on_, whispered a voice in Sora's mind.

He gaped into the darkness. _Alysa?_

_Not really, birdbrain. I'm just your Inner Alysa. And I'm telling you now, Sora, that sadly, bodily injury is not the answer in this situation. _

_It isn't?_

_Course not. Get in there and talk to him. He won't snap your head off; he's Riku. And on the off chance he does…well, I'll avenge your death, or something._

Sora scowled into the night. "Thanks for nothing, Inner Alysa," he murmured.

"Who are you talking to?" came a curious voice from the direction of the tent.

Sora closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning around, only to see Riku's upper body protruding from the tent.

"You're running the whole not-talking thing," Sora said, trying fruitlessly to sound mad.

Riku only shrugged and poked his head back into the tent. When he was out of sight, he shouted back into the empty darkness, "Are you coming to sleep, or what?"

Sora looked heavenward._ Any last advice?_

_Don't screw up again, darling._

_What? **I** screwed up? Whose side are you…_

But the voice was gone, and Sora was alone, shivering in the cold wind.

"What the hell," he murmured, and walked into the tent with the air of a dead man walking into his coffin.

* * *

Riku looked up in surprise when Sora stumbled into the tent. "So…you've finally decided to join me." 

Sora only grunted and grabbed his sleeping bag possessively, finding the farthest corner from Riku as humanly possible. He crawled into his sleeping bag fully clothed; he wasn't taking any chances.

Riku cast him one last long look before he blew out the lamp. Sora could hear the vague sounds of him moving around and settling into his own sleeping bag, and then only silence.

Sora heart thumped quickly in the darkness; so loud he was sure Riku could hear it. He tried to breathe quietly in his anxiety, but the tent was smaller than even he had anticipated, and however much he scooted away, he found that he could still distinctly feel the shape of Riku's arm, pressed closer than he ever would have wished it to be.

The air in the tent seemed to be getting closer by the minute, the silence expanding in the blackness, and now Sora could hear Riku breathing; long, low shallow breaths that seemed to reverberate in the blackness and seemed to be getting faster…

And quite suddenly, Riku was lying almost on top of him, his torso on Sora's arm, his arm draped across the smaller boy's chest, his face leaning above the other's boys, unseen in the darkness, but Sora could feel several long strands of hair dragging across his face…

He panicked.

Sora tried to throw Riku off and meld himself as close as humanly possible to the wall of the tent, pulling the sleeping bag over his head, kicking and gasping for breath. Riku rolled away, but he was still closer than before, the entire left side of his body pressed against Sora's.

"What was that?" Sora gasped out, when he felt it was safe to talk.

"I saw a spider." Riku's voice was a bit shaken in the darkness.

Sora laughed hoarsely. "I wasn't aware the great Riku was afraid of spiders."

Riku drew a deep breath. "I'm afraid of a lot of things…"

"I thought we weren't talking," Sora said weakly, but it was no use, Riku was moving closer again, electric friction leaping up every time he moved, his sleeping bag grating against Sora's, the only separation between their skin…

Sora was shivering now (damn this cold) and closing his eyes, but he could still hear it when Riku brought his head alongside Sora's, his face inches from Sora's own, could tell from the soft sounds of his breathing, the warm puffs of air the fluttered against his face when Riku exhaled, getting closer and hotter with every passing second…

"ARGG!" Sora screamed, jumping up and nearly destroying another tent in the process. "STOP IT!"

He thrashed about, trying very hard to kick Riku if he could, and finally free himself from his sleeping bag, ripping open the zipper of the tent with a desperation he didn't know he possessed. He needed to get out. He needed to escape.

* * *

It was raining, when he staggered out onto the ledge, fat, heavy warm raindrops that quickly plastered his hair to his forehead and his clothes to his body. He hardly noticed. He stared unseeingly into the blackness of the night, the stars wheeling above, and didn't turn around when he heard soft footsteps, padding through the quickly forming puddles. 

"What was that?" Riku asked quietly. Sora turned around despite himself and looked at him; pale, his eyes dark, his pale silver hair draped over his shoulder in wet clumps. Sora swallowed.

"You know," he said, turning away again.

A hand on his shoulder spun him around. "No, I don't," Riku said, and he sounded angry. "Why did you run out?"

_"You were coming on to me!_" Sora yelled before he could take it back.

Riku said nothing, just stared at him, wet strands of hair obscuring all but glimmers of his bright turquoise eyes, which were drinking in the color of the rain.

"And I don't understand why," Sora sobbed, feeling as if he was about to cry, "because you're a homophobe!"

"I'm a _WHAT?_"

That, at last, had made an impression on Riku; all the blood drained out of his already pale face, and he took an instinctive step backward.

"Well, yeah," Sora said, confused. "Yesterday…"

"Is THAT what Axel told you?" Riku said, sounding furious now. He took another step forward, so he towered over the smaller boy. Sora looked down, but Riku grabbed him by the chin and thrust his head up, so they were locking eyes. "Well…?" he growled, low and dangerously.

"He said you didn't want them to be together," Sora said softly, drawn in by the shining depths of Riku's eyes. Hope was blooming within him; dangerous hope that was waiting to be quashed, for the last time.

"That's _not_ what I meant," Riku growled. "I asked him if he was serious about Roxas, and if not, to break it off. Claire told me that Axel was gay at the beginning of the summer; it didn't bother me. But she also said that she used a lot of boys, boys he thought could be gay. She told me he would flirt with them to make them realize it, and them dump them once they had hooked up with him. She told me to stay away from him, 'cause he would try to do it to me."

Sora gaped at him, open-mouthed. "And you _believed_ her?"

Riku shrugged. "I didn't know what to think. But now…I suppose Roxas is the real deal, isn't he?"

"Yes!" Sora said angrily. "Axel wouldn't do that to _anyone_, Riku!"

"I know that…now," Riku said softly.

His hand was still on Sora's chin, his long fingers wet against Sora's skin. Sora's throat caught a little, and he looked up. To his surprise, there was a slow smile blooming on Riku's face.

"You thought I was a homophobe?" he asked quietly, a strange light in his eyes.

Sora tried to avoid his gaze. "Yes. That's why I was so mad at you."

To his surprise, Riku laughed, a rich, echoing laugh that resounded into the quiet of the night. "How could I be?"

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, his heart leaping strangely, like it was doing cartwheels within his chest. Riku took a step forward. His chest bumped into Sora's. Sora, panicking, tried to back away, but Riku's arms shot out, lean and strong, and held him fast. He was so close…he could feel every breath, every word…

"Well…that would be kind of hypocritical, wouldn't it?" Riku breathed, his words a whisper, but Sora heard every word.

Sora closed his eyes. The rain was still falling, small pockets of warmth hitting his skin, bursting open and drenching him further. This wasn't happening. This was another game, another trick, some kind of lure so that Riku could tease him about being gay afterward…

_Which I'm not. I'm not gay. I'm as straight as a ruler. Straight as a pole. Straight as a parallel line in a rectangle. Straight as a pencil. Straight as many, many straight, girl related things. I am absolutely, totally, 100..._

Riku breathed, closed the gap between them, and kissed Sora, quietly, lightly, softly, but a kiss nonetheless.

_…..gay._

Riku's hands were still on Sora's back, and they traveled up it as Riku, encouraged by not begin kicked, deepened the kiss, his hands on Sora's neck, his lips soft and warm against his own, and hesitantly, Sora brought his own arms up and wrapped them around the other boy's waist, pulling them closer, until they were meshed together, one. When he felt Riku smile into the kiss, he smiled back, the rain falling on them and falling in a stream between their faces, tasting salty against their lips.

When they finally broke apart for air, neither of them removed their hands.

Riku smiled down at Sora, days of pent-up affection shining through like a beacon. "Cause if I was a homophobe, that would seriously gross me out. But, in fact, I am incredibly turned on."

"Speak for yourself," Sora said, trying to keep a straight face. "Did you brush your teeth?"

The stars in his eyes gave him away, and as Riku laughed and leaned down for another kiss, a small voice in Sora's mind said, _That's the way, duckling. Make me proud._

And overhead, a small condom balloon flew by, a passing breeze carrying it far over the two boy's heads. They didn't notice as it drifted up toward the stars.

* * *

_YAYYYY!_

And the reviewers do the yippy skippy happy dance.

Silly little plot twist, I know, but c'mon now. It would have been no fun whatsoever if Sora was not royally pissed this entire chapter. You know it.

Inner Alysa says- REVIEW!


	14. The Chapter of Pure, Meaningless Fluff

CHAPTER FOURTEEN!

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** Only in my dreams. Literally.

**Author's Note:**

Only one more chapter after this one! –cries with reviewers-

I wish it could go longer, but then I would have to invent some sort of new plot twist that would make them be less happy than they are right now and GOSHDARNIT, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

Ahem.

Anyways, over 500 reviews! SQUEE! I'm going to write this intense thank you speech next chapter, but for now- I LOVES YOU!

And on a final note:

This story has gotten an _amazing_ amount of feedback. And I think it's doubly amazing considering the fact that for the first ELEVEN CHAPTERS –count 'em, people- there was no fluff. Nada. Zip. Zippo. Not even a peck on the cheek. I think that must some kind of fanfic record.

Now, since I have managed to sail by on humor alone for the past dozen or so chapters, and since you have put up with only promises of fluff, this chapter is my present to you. It is fluffy. It is sweet. It may cause cavities- contact your local dentist!

And since I have like zero time to make this ready, I will once again have to forgo reviewers- next chapter, I promise!- let's get on with the sugar-coated SoraRiku goodness, shall we?

Yummy.

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Sora was having another lovely dream. He was in a huge theatre, where the walls were dripping gold and s'mores lined the aisles in towering stacks. Munching on one, Sora happily noticed that pillows were line-dancing on the stage. He clapped energetically as the pillows kicked once, twice, and then went into a big finale, which involved several inverted flips and one back handspring by a spry little throw pillow. When they had finished their act, the pillows suddenly decided that it would be a splendid idea to fly out over the audience. Sora watched them pass above his head in a dreamy haze, eying the downy fluff trailing from them like flotsam. They looked so warm…so…comfortable...

The pink pillow squawked rather like a duck when Sora leapt up to catch it, but Sora didn't let go. It was every bit as comfortable as he had imaged...soft and warm and fuzzy and equipped with long, strong arms…

_Wait a second._

Sora's eyes snapped open.

Riku's sleeping face filled his vision, taking deep, rhythmic breaths that made several strands of his silvery hair flutter, tickling Sora's nose. Sora stared at his flawless face, captivated. How did Riku have such perfect skin? He was so close he could see every pore, and not a hint of acne, not even one lousy _spot_…

_Wait. Rewind. Riku's sleeping face?_

Sora gave a little yelp and tried to scoot away, but found himself trapped by the aforementioned long, strong arms. Riku gave a sleepy little sigh, and a gust of warm air played across Sora's face. The arms tightened, drawing Sora's face right into Riku's neck.

_Eeep._

Sora closed his eyes, forcing himself to breath regularly, like his mother had told him to do when he found himself in scary situations. Though he hardly thought this particular scenario had ever crossed her mind.

He winced. The thought of his mother only made his head hurt more. Okay, things were okay. He was warm, and comfortable, and had a half-naked boy twined around him. These things happened, right? Now, if only he could get back to sleep, he could resume his pillow dream. He had the strangest feeling, before he woke up, that pillows were about to conga…

Conga. Alysa. Yesterday. Riku. Kiss. It all came flooding back.

Sora groaned and clutching his forehead, trying to banish the beginnings of a colossal headache. If he knew this was a morning for revelations, he would have brought some Advil.

He guessed there would be no more sleep for him. Sora gave a soft sigh and tried to roll over, only to be prevented by the arms again. Darn. Oh well. It was only Riku, after all. Riku who he had kissed last night. Riku who could do amazing things with his tongue…

Sora's eyes crossed momentarily as he remembered their last, pre-sleep, I really-want-you-but-if-we-keep-going-I-might-just-fall-asleep-on-you kiss. A goofy grin spread across his face. Who knew Riku was so ticklish?

He wiggled a little in Riku's grip. He didn't really know how he had ended up here, in Riku's sleeping bag, tangled like a giant fly in Riku's arms. They had gone to sleep on opposite sides of the tent in what Sora considered was a very chaste, responsible manner. Riku had growled under his breath a few times and muttered something that Sora couldn't catch, but had the word "molestable" in it. But after that, both had fallen asleep fairly quickly, tired out by their day of climbing and tonsil aerobics.

Apparently, the situation had not remained that way. Sora scowled into Riku's neck. Maybe it had gotten cold during the night. Damn his tendency to go after the nearest large, heat radiating object like a missile. Or maybe Riku had just grabbed him, overcome by lust, or maybe Sora had…

_Whatever_, Sora's mind said in its sarcastic, Alysa-like way. _I already **have** a headache, thank you very much. Just shut up and cuddle._

Sora blanched. _Cuddle?_

_Perhaps you've heard of it. _His mind smirked- could minds smirk? _You know you want to._

_Do not!_ Sora replied stubbornly.

Riku, still fast asleep, let out a quiet sigh and wrapped Sora closer around him, like a favorite pillow. Sora melted inside.

_Little liar_, his mind replied smugly.

He ignored it.

Staring up into Riku's sleeping face, Sora could feel the heat radiating from the other boy's body enveloping him like a blanket. His arms were pinned to his side awkwardly and quickly losing circulation, so there was really no other choice but to hesitantly, and very gently, wrap them around Riku's waist, letting them rest on the firm muscles of his back.

Sora froze, still staring expectantly into Riku's face. The other boy didn't move, just kept slumbering on. Taking that as a very good sign, Sora signed contently and let his head burrow in the soft collar of Riku's t-shirt.

Only to be grabbed and smushed into Riku's collarbone.

"You're awake, I see," Sora murmured into his skin.

"You're so cute when you're trying to be sneaky," Riku said, sounding highly amused.

"How long have you been up?"

Riku grinned languidly. "Long enough to hear you mutter something about pink pillows."

Sora buried his face even more into Riku's chest, letting his cheek rest on the other boy's shoulder. "I suppose you think it's cute when I get embarrassed, too?"

"Adorable," Riku muttered, his arms tightening on Sora's chest until their chests were pressed firmly together and their legs were intertwined. "I missed you."

"While you were asleep?" came Sora's muffled voice, still clogged with sleep.

Riku nodded severely. "Of course. You can't do _this_ while you're asleep."

And before Sora could protest, several long fingers had propped his chin up and he sank happily into another one of Riku's heart-melting kisses.

_Well. This isn't a bad way to wake up. Sure beats alarm clocks._

Riku's lips were soft and warm from sleep, and Sora let him kiss him eagerly, parted his lips gratefully to let Riku's tongue slip inside to do devastating things inside his mouth. Sora moaned happily, his arms buried in Riku's long hair.

Riku chuckled into the kiss, sending agreeable frissons racing down Sora's spine. "Yeah, I defiantly missed you."

"I never knew you were this cheesy," Sora said, which was made difficult by the fact that Riku was kissing the sensitive skin of his ear right below his ear, where it tickled most, and now he was moving up…

"Gah," Sora said faintly as Riku nibbled on his earlobe.

Riku laughed and rolled the two of them over, so Sora was on bottom, gazing up at the silver-haired boy through half-lidded eyes. Smiling softly, he leaned down to place one last, light kiss on Sora's agreeable lips.

"Time to go climbing," Riku murmured after a few seconds, pulling away. "C'mon, get up."

"That's not fair," Sora said, trying to look cross and failing. "You can't just leave me hanging like that."

Riku stretched and stood up. "If you get up and outside, I'll kiss your neck again."

"Are you trying to _bribe_ me with promises of making out?"

Riku had already disappeared through the tent flap with, casting him one last snarky smile.

Sora sighed and rested his head back on his pillow. Touching his swollen lips tenderly with two fingertips, he smiled hesitantly.

"Fine…I'm coming."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Sora and Riku finally reached the bottom of the cliff, taking them slightly longer than normal (because Riku had to make frequent "pitstops" which involved lots of trees and lots of groping) they were finally standing at the bottom of the cliff, looking up into the huge distance they would have to cover that day.

"I'll lead," Riku said authoritatively, reaching for the rope.

Sora slapped his hand away. "_I'll_ lead."

Riku pouted, his lower lip jutting out in a way that Sora knew he thought was absolutely irresistible. "But, Sora, I _like_ to lead."

"So do I," Sora said firmly, determined not to give in to his quivery lip cuteness. "And you always get to lead."

"I'll strike you a deal," Riku said, leaning against a nearby rock and eyeing Sora as though he was a particularly yummy morsel. "If you let me lead, I'll take my shirt off."

Sora scowled. "You think you can get to me through my teenage lust?"

"Well, yes. Yes I do."

Sora was determined not to give in to him. Though he did look very appetizing, leaning against the rock, his hair fluttering in the breeze and just a hint of flat stomach peeking out from the bottom of his t-shirt.

"No," Sora said firmly, though it was difficult to get out words, as mini- shirtless Riku's kept jumping around in his head, shouting tinnily, "Pick me! I'm so much _sexierrrrrrrrrrr_ than your morals."

Riku's lower lip jutted out further. "Well, then I don't see how we're going to resolve this, Sora."

"If you don't let me lead, I won't let you kiss me for the rest of the day."

And the pure horror on Riku's face was all that Sora needed.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm waiting…" Sora sang out happily from his perch at the rest point, peering down at Riku, still stuck like a bug to the wall.

Riku shot him a glare that would have burned through rock. "You just wait, you little cheater. When I get up there…"

"When you get up there what?" Sora asked cheekily, cocking his head.

"Oh, you'll see. I'll…" and the rest of his speech sank out into low mutterings.

Sora decided not to worry about it and to just enjoy the crystalline day. It was nice up here, he decided; the wind blowing in his cheeks, the sun beating down and blinding him, a tree rustling in the distance, his stomach full, his libido purring contently, and Riku's hand around his ankle…

"GAH!" Sora yelped out, scampering backward and almost falling off the cliff in the process.

_Well, that would have been a bad ending to a perfect day. Nothing ruins the mood like a hundred foot fall…_

Speaking of the mood…

Riku pulled himself up in a spectacular display of upper body strength, his arm muscles straining heavily. Kneeling on the rock ledge, he eyed Sora from beneath a silvery curtain of hair. And before the smaller boy could scamper away or even cover the rising blush in his cheeks, Riku had discovered that the smooth surface of marble was an _excellent_ surface to push a smaller, struggling boy against.

"You're not going to throw me off a cliff, are you?" Sora burst out, wiggling frantically in Riku's tight grip.

"And why would I do that?" Riku purred dangerously, leaning close over Sora's neck.

"Well, back when I thought you were going to kill me, that was one of my theories about how you would do it. Well, that and peanut butter sandwiches, but then that damn squirrel kept staring at me…"

"God, just shut up and let me wreak my revenge," Riku growled low in his throat, and then Sora's mouth was effectively pinned by his lips.

This kiss lasted much longer than normal; Riku seemed determine to linger there, to taste every inch of Sora's soft lips, nibbling on his bottom lip as the other boy's eyelids fluttered up, half from passion and half from lack of oxygen.

"I like this revenge," Sora gasped out when Riku finally broke apart for air.

"I thought you might."

And then he was attacking Sora's lips again, slipping his tongue in to wrestle with Sora's own, and Sora felt that like he was melting into the cliff. Every sense seemed heightened; the cool playing of the breeze against his cheeks, the hot warmth of the sun beating down on his foreheads, the soft, whispery feel of Riku's hair as it slipped through his fingers, every place that they were touching; lips, chests, arms, legs, even their feet were locked in a messy embrace, drinking each other in.

Sora felt a shiver race down his body as Riku gently traced the shape of his jaw with a finger, then with his mouth, soft, chaste butterfly kisses, never landing for long, the briefest touches, tantalizing him up the slope of his neck and onto his earlobe, into the soft shell of skin tucked behind his ear…

"Mmmmfffgah," Sora said as Riku decided his tongue would be a better weapon of choice.

"I don't think that's a word," Riku said, amused, but he didn't give Sora a chance to respond, instead choosing to kiss him on the lips once more, his arms traveling, spider-like, down Sora's back, ticking the ridges of his stomach, lifting the hem of his t-shirt…

"Gahhhdon't!" Sora gasped out, trying to wrench his hands away.

"Why not?" Riku asked softly, very close to Sora's cheekbone.

"Ca-cause we're in plain sight, that's why! If anyone had binoculars…"

"Who would have binoculars, Sora?" Riku asked, now mouthing the words into his skin, lightly, softly. Sora found himself having trouble with words.

"Shhhh," Riku mouthed reassuringly, sliding an affectionate thumb along the curve of Sora's cheek. "Don't worry so much."

The hands were well under the shirt now, reaching up to much more sensitive places that Sora didn't know could tickle like that…_burn _like that….

He sighed happily but was trapped by the onrush of Riku's hungry lips, melding against him, and then his mouth was gone and Sora was about to protest but his neck…his ear…his collarbone…who knew his collarbone was so sensitive? And the hands were still moving, lightly brushing, tickling along the sensitive skin of his stomach and back, lower than before, and liquid fire was making a beautiful pool in Sora's stomach, making him feel so melty all over, and Riku was…Riku was…

Climbing?

Riku was **climbing**?

Sora's head shot up and he lunged for the other boy's foot, but Riku hopped neatly upward and out of reach, smiling that peculiar smile of his. "Hey, Sora, think you could belay me?"

_That **bastard**!_

"That's…you can't just…I was, you were…RIKU!"

Riku smirked and reached for a higher handhold. "Hey, like I said; I _like_ to lead."

"So all of that…was that just some kind of plot to render me unable to stop you?"

"Well, yes and no," Riku admitted, hanging from his rope. "Yes in that it did distract you, and no in that I would have done it anyway."

Sora could only shake his head in disbelief. "I have no idea why I like you."

"My natural charms, of course. And the hair."

"What's the big deal about going first, anyway?" Sora asked, a grumpy pout settling over his features. Riku found it so adorable he forgot to answer for a moment.

"Huh? Oh…well, it's sort of like being on top. You know."

If Sora could have gotten any redder, he would have burst. "Wha-what?" he sputtered. "On…

"Don't worry about it," Riku said with a smug smile, turning back to his climbing. "You'll find out eventually."

"Wha---no! NO! _Riku_!"

But Riku had already collapsed laughing, and before long, Sora joined him, the sound echoing out over the silence of the afternoon.

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"So…when did you…you know?"

Riku stopped eating and gazed down at the boy who was tucked into the crook of his shoulder. "When did I what?"

"You know…start…thinking…of me. That way." Sora said quickly, not meeting the other boy's eyes.

Both boys were sitting with legs leaning over the edge of the cliff, letting them sway gently in the breeze. Riku had his arm around Sora and the other boy didn't seem to mind, just kept munching on his sandwich passively and leaning hesitantly into the other boy's shoulder. They sat like that for a moment, silent.

"I don't know," Riku said finally. "I always…you know I like…liked girls, a _lot _of girls, right?"

"How could I forget?" Sora said grumpily, remembering Claire. A thought occurred to him, and he sprang away from Riku, wide-eyed. "This isn't…I'm not some kind of _girl replacement_ for this trip, am I?"

Riku burst out laughing.

"What! Stop it! That's not funny! I'm _serious_…Ri-ku!" Sora whined, punching him in the arm. "Answer me!"

"You thought…ahaha," Riku gasped out, "You thought…of course not. Jeez, Sora, how could you even..ahaha…."

"Okay, okay, I get the point already," Sora said grumpily, eyeing Riku and wondering what he should do if the other boy had a stroke, or something.

"Ahah…anyway, of course you're not some kind of girl replacement. That's what I was saying. I liked girls a lot, but the first time I saw you…it was different, you know? Some weird little voice in my mind kept telling me to get close to you, to be your friend, and that scared the hell out me. That's why I was such a bastard to you at first," Riku smiled apologetically. "It kind of scared me. But then I kept getting these crazy impulses to be near you that sort of—took over me, you know? Like that night at the lake- I didn't realize I was coming on to you until it was too late, and then…"

"Then you freaked out and turned into Ice-Man," Sora said flatly.

"You scared me, Sora. You made me second guess everything, and whenever you weren't around I thought about you and how I couldn't see you anymore, how I couldn't get close to you, and when you were around it was like all that went straight out the window…" Riku took a deep breath. "Wow, that's embarrassing to say."

"No, it's not. I felt the same way. Only, I didn't understand why I cared about what you thought about me. When you were mad at me, for no reason…"

"Sorry," Riku said, his aquamarine eyes boring into Sora's own crystalline ones. They held the gaze for a moment, understanding and apology passing between them in a split second, and then Sora smiled.

"No problem. I guess I can forgive you- this time."

"You ungrateful little…" Riku laughed and tightened his grip around Sora, bringing the other boy practically into his lap and placing a light kiss on his cheek.

They sat like that for a moment, gazing at the view that stretched out below them; miles and miles of forest and mountains, as far as the eye can see.

"So what now?" Sora asked, burrowing comfortably into Riku's shoulder.

He felt it when the other boy shrugged. "Now we head back."

"Do we have to tell everyone?"

" 'Course we do. I want to clear my name," Riku said with an easy smile.

"That's true. But I'm kind of scared."

Riku gave him a confused look. "Why would you be scared? No one has a problem with Axel and Roxas."

Sora smiled shakily. "It's not them."

"Then what is it?"

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"DUCKLINGS!"

One step inside the campsite, and already Alysa had pounced.

"So? How was it? Did you go camping? Did you roast s'mores? Did you climb things? Did you not die? Did you see any condom balloons? Did you hook up?"

Sora blushed; the faintest shade of pink. Following Alysa's eyes from him to Sora to him again and seeing the excited smile that spread across her face like a firework, Riku leapt forward frantically, trying to cover her mouth before…

"RIKU AND SORA, SITTING IN A TREE. K-I-S-S…"

She suddenly stopped and clutched her forehead. "Ouch. Singing is a bad idea. Remind me not to sing. No sing, no, no sing…"

"What's up with her?" Riku asked Doug, who was walking by very slowly, and jumping at loud noises.

"What?" Doug said, jumping, then noticed them looking pointedly at Alysa, who was now experimentally trying to sing the verse to "A Whole New World." And failing.

"Oh, her. This is her being hung-over."

Riku and Sora exchanged looks of horror. "I would hate to see her drunk."

Doug shook his head sadly. "Kids, let's put it this way; I will never see another karaoke machine without running for cover."

"Karaoke machine?"

Sora and Riku took in the campsite for the first time since their arrival. Several tents were down and one appeared to have taken perch in a nearby tree, and little streams and bits of confetti littered the ground like stones. The wreckage of what Sora only assumed could have been a snack table lay teetering off the side, and on close inspection, he and Riku were now standing on a deflated rubber beach ball.

Alysa let on a long, breezy sigh. "You guys should have been here. All my friends came up, and I know you would get along just _swell_. Rodney came, you know, the Redbull guy? Well, funnily enough, it turns out he _can't_ barefoot waterski…"

"I'm going to bed," Doug said wearily, clutching his forehead.

"Nighty night!" Alysa said, giving him a cheery wave. "Anyways, so you two hooked up? Excellent, excellent, and this time I bet fifty, that sucker…"

"What?"

"Umm…I bet fifty on the outcomes of the salsa contest…and I won! Aren't you proud of me?"

They glared at her.

"Fine," she said, defeated. "I suppose you don't have any Advil on you?"

"No," Riku said, with only a hint of a smile.

'I'll just have to suffer in quiet agony, then," she sighed dramatically. "I'm going to bed early; Axel and Roxas are already back- I trust you won't kill each other and/or shag each other before you go to bed?"

She eyed the stunned look on Sora's face. "I'll take that as a no, then. I'm holding you to that!"

And then she wandered off in the direction of the tent, only wavering once. "Good to have you back, darlings," she said over his shoulder with a wink, then disappeared into the quiet confines of her tent.

"So," Riku said neutrally. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Sora threw confetti at him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And then…well…"

Roxas' eyes got huge. "Then you what?"

"Then we kissed," Sora said, peering at Roxas cautiously.

Roxas let out a low whistle. "You _did_?"

"Ya-huh."

"And did you…"

"Enjoy it?" Sora blushed. "Well…"

Roxas laughed, surprising both of them. "You did, didn't you? Wow. I never would have…"

He looked at the sly blush on Sora's cheeks and back at the tent flap, which hid the other boy's tent from view. "Well, actually, I _would_ have guessed. You two were flirting like rabbits.'

"Before you dragged me away screaming," Sora reminded him.

"Well, yes, before that," Roxas said with a wry grin, leaning back in his sleeping bag.

Both boys were in their tent after a very reluctant parting from the other two, and Sora had decided to tell Roxas the whole story after the other boy's eyes had practically fallen out after Riku had given Sora his "goodnight kiss" which, incidentally, involved quite a lot of tongue.

Roxas hadn't given him an account of his climbing trip yet, but judging by the large, impressive hickey on his neck, Sora could make an educated guess.

The smaller boy sighed and leaned back, clutching his pillow. "Who would have guessed things would turn out this way?'

"Not me," Roxas said, sounding sleepy already. "But something…things just happen, you know?"

"I know," Sora said quietly, remembering the way Riku's fingers had felt as they trailed along his cheekbone, the look in his eyes that said it all.

The silence was pressing around him, and suddenly it was a lot colder in the tent than he remembered. He could hear Roxas' breathing; pre-snore deep breaths; the other boy was just about to fall asleep. He had to act fast.

"Hey, Roxas?"

"What?" came the barely intelligible mutter.

"See you in the morning, okay?"

"Whatever..."

Sora smiled and grabbed his pillow, trailing across the open field and to his destination; another small tent, just across the clearing.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Both boys sat up when he opened the flap; one pair of eyes suspicious, and one eager.

"Hey, Axel," Sora said, ignoring Riku. "Roxas really wants you. Like, bad. He can't contain himself in his overreaching lust."

Axel's eyes shone like a schoolboy's at Christmas, and his last word before he exited the tent in a flurry of red hair and sleeping bag was, "Goody!"

Now that he was alone with Riku, Sora suddenly felt shy; should he have come? "Sorry," he muttered, looking away from the other boy. "I just…"

That was as far as he got before Riku grabbed him and pulled, to land in a heap next to the other boy. Wrapping his arms securely around the other boy's waist and pulling the sleeping bag around them, Riku exhaled happily, his grip tightening on the smaller boy.

"I missed you."

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AWWWWWWWW

-melts into puddle of fluff-

So. Hoped you liked. Got kind of akward writing it cause I was supposed to be doing "summer work" and whenever anyone got within five feet I had to close the screen and start muttering stuff about ions under my breath..

But I digress.

**Next Chapter: **LAST ONE! WAHH! We return to camp, another ride in Velma, the return of Claire, and one last campfire…

If your brain hasn't turned to mush yet, a review would be nice. –grin-


	15. Last Campfire

OHMYGODS IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER! ONOES! –runs off into a corner and cries-

**Summary:** When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating _boy_ to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

**Disclaimer:** After this chapter, I'm returning all of these characters to Sqeenix _relatively_ unharmed. Except for Alysa and Doug. MINE!

Also, quiz questions are from some online site, which I can't remember at the time. But...not mine.

**Author's Note:** Omigosh last chapter. Huge thank you thingamabob at the end, in which I will get all emotional and probably blabber on for far too long. But for now, enjoy the last chapter, which I worked very hard on and is like, five pages longer than normal. Hurrah!

I know you guys want to get on with it and skip my incessant drabble, so here you go. MAY I PRESENT:

Chapter Fifteen…..

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"Well, well, well, isn't this totally unsurprising."

Sora sighed in his sleep. He knew that voice. A tiny part of his subconscious knew that voice meant for him, and his sleep, and the suspiciously large and warm object that he was using as an oversize pillow, which was breathing in deep rhythms and dragging its long hair all over his face.

But on the surface, all his mind was capable of was,_ Mmmgh. Sleepy. So…warm…burrow in sleeping bag….now…_

As if from a long distance away, he heard a muffled sigh. "Don't make me do it. I really don't want to, cause you look so cute, and all, but god knows, my patience level is nonexistent…"

A beat of silence.

"I'm coming close, boys. Dangerously close. Fatally close…"

Sora thought, at some distant point in his consciousness, that he heard the sound of a tent flap being unzipped, and soft footfalls, getting closer and closer and…

"I gave you your chance. Guess there's nothing left to do but…POUNCE!"

And suddenly, Sora was being ripped out of his sleeping bag, tossed around like a salad, and then…then…

"AHHH! Hahahahah- no, Aly—ahahaha-Alysa—aha-STOP IT!"

Being tickled all over.

Sora thrashed around wildly, trying to free himself from her clutches, but she was obviously highly practiced in the art of tickling; she attacked with one hand and the other hand was gone, reaching somewhere behind Sora..

"AHHH!" Riku's voice came, and suddenly Sora was being whacked in the back of his head with a pillow.

"Hey, Ri—ahaha it's not---me it's---ahah---ALYSA!"

"Well, I warned you," Alysa's wicked face loomed into view.

"You're ticklish, Sora?" Riku's voice came, sounding perfectly unruffled.

"You're-ahahha-not?"

"Not a bit," said Riku, surveying Sora with an unreadable expression on his face.

"I thought you.—ahahahhaah STOP ALYSA----I thought—ahah—you were—that night?"

"Oh, that," Riku said with a little smirk. "Well, anything involving you touching me seemed pretty good at that point."

"That's my boy," Alysa said proudly, attacking Sora with renewed force.

"A..little…help?" Sora gasped out, casting a pleading look at Riku.

Riku just looked at him, a slow smile spreading over his face. And then he pounced.

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Roxas poked his head out of the tent flap, straining his ears and stifling a yawn.

"What is it?" came Axel's sleepy voice from his position on the floor, where he had Roxas' torso in a tight grip as if it would get up and walk away at any moment.

"I can't really tell," Roxas said, furrowing his brow. He looked across the clearing at the tent which, at the moment, was bouncing up and down like Sora when he had had too much sugar. High pitched screaming could be heard with the motion, and occasional shouts of "RIKU! RIK-UUUUU!"

Axel raised an eyebrow. "I think they have the right idea, there."

Roxas kicked him. "Shut up. We went over this last night when you fell on top of me and started licking my ear."

"I thought it was your mouth. It was dark. And, besides, you liked it.."

"Shuttup," Roxas murmured, turning an interesting shade of puce. "That's beside the point."

"The point being," Axel murmured, sitting up, "might as well jump on the bandwagon, eh?"

And then he was attacking Roxas's neck again, tracing faint designs with butterfly kisses, his hands running across Roxas's shoulders, down across his chest, turning his chin so he could plant a real kiss on his lips…

"RIKUU! ALYSAAA! STOP IT, THAT HURTS!"

"WHAAAA?"

Axel fell backwards into the tent as if he had been punched.

"I don't feel turned on anymore," Roxas said, covering his mouth with his hand. "Are they…are _they_…"

"I don't want to know." Axel said, squeezing his eyes shut. "I don't wanna know I don't wanna know Idontwannaknow…"

And thus began the last morning of camp.

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"_What_ is going on here?"

Doug stood in the center of the clearing, hands on his hips and doing his best to look unspeakably furious. His mouth kept twitching in its frown, as if it longed to jump up and grin at all of them goofily. Doug kept it firmly put.

"Well," Alysa said, looking a little sheepish. "It's a long story…"

"She _tickled_ me," Sora burst in. "And_ he_ did too. They ganged up on me. I was outnumbered. And neither of them is ticklish!" He crossed his arms. "It was very unfair. Punish them, Doug."

"Yeah, Doug," Alysa said, draping and arm around Riku's shoulders and glaring at her co-counselor in a menacing fashion. "Go ahead. Punish us."

Doug swallowed loudly.

"Umm…you can…ermm….apologize?"

A brief pause as Alysa considered the offer.

"Fair enough, I guess. Sorry, dear," Alysa said, reaching over to ruffle Sora's hair. "Consider it….a sign of affection."

"That goes double for me," Riku said with a smirk.

"And don't do it again," Doug said, in what he hoped was a firm voice. "And you two!"

He whirled on Axel and Roxas. Guilty expressions spread on both of their faces, and Roxas's hands subconsciously flew to his neck- to cover up the evidence.

"Yes?"

"I haven't had a chance to talk to you yet! How was your climbing trip?"

Axel gave a low chuckle and Roxas turned around to whack him. "Fine," Roxas said, in a voice that was two octaves higher than normal. "Just…fine. Normal. Practically sterile, actually."

"That's not what you said last-OWW!"

Doug cast them both a wary eye, then turned to Kairi and Hayner, who had appeared on the edge of the clearing, both looking a bit flustered. "And how about you guys? You didn't get in until late last night, right? Anything exciting happen?"

A flush rose in Hayner's cheeks, and he began to mutter very low and fast under his breath.

"He doesn't want to talk about it," Kairi said apologetically, a hand on his shoulder.

Doug surveyed the seven people ringed around him with an expression of bewilderment on his face. "What…am I missing something, here?"

His frown only deepened when they all burst out laughing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I would like to be the first to welcome one and all back to her eternal loveliness- Velma the Van!"

"Oh, here's that stain again," came Axel's voice from the back. "Right where I left it."

"Wait, let me see," said Roxas. "Eww, that is gross. I didn't believe you the first time."

"That could have had something to do with the fact that you hated me at the time…"

"Children, children," Alysa said, holding up a hand for quiet. "I don't think we're being truly appreciate of the moment. We're about to drive away from the campsite, your home for the last week. You have cried, snuck out, bickered like idiots, loved passionately…"

Doug began choking on his spit.

"…and a variety of other fun-filled activities. Don't you want to appreciate the moment?"

Hayner gave a very loud snore from the front seat. Kairi shook her head apologetically. "Sorry…I don't know what it is about cars…they just knock him out…"

"As I was saying," Alysa interrupted firmly. "Take a final look, kiddos, before we get back to Camp Happyplace to reunite with mommy and daddy."

"Don't say that," Riku groaned, clutching his forehead.

But Sora realized, with a start, that she was right. He pressed a palm against the clear pane of glass that separated him from the sunlit clearing that had become his second home, so bare now that the tents and picnic table and various foods had been packed up. It looked peaceful, now, bare and green, ringed in sunlight. He would probably never come back here, to this place that held so much meaning for him, so many memories.

Alysa started the car with a quiet humm. "We ready?"

Sora gave the clearing one last look and nodded solemnly, removing his hand from the cool window. He would miss this place.

Something warm took his hand, and he looked up, surprised, as Riku laced his fingers through Sora's. The silver haired boy smiled slowly at him, squeezing his hand.

But then again; the future didn't look too grim, either.

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Only two hours into the car ride, and they were all bored again. Luckily, Kairi still had her magazine...

"Okay, Axel. There's a power outage, and you and your partner need to use candles. Would you..

a) Use the candles to read a book

b) Throw together a quick meal and eat by candlelight

or c) Run a bath and have a candle-lit bath together?"

Axel squeezed a protesting Roxas happily. "Bath! But a dinner sound nice, too…maybe a dinner and a bath? At the same time? Is that an option?"

"Axel!" Roxas protested weakly, struggling a little more in Axel's arms before going limp again. "I am not bathing by candlelight with you!"

"We'll see about that," Axel said. "Alysa, does the camp have romantic candle-lit baths?"

She thought about it for a moment. "No, but we do have outdoor showers. With spiders and stuff!"

"I hate spiders," Roxas muttered grumpily, finally giving in and sinking into Axel's shoulder.

"I'll protect you, Roxy," Axel said affectionately.

"I thought we had already established that this whole idea is a no. Nonono."

Axel looked at Kairi, emerald eyes twinkling mischievously. "Does my partner have any say in this?"

"No, not really, but…"

'It's settled, then." Axel said, planting a quick kiss on Roxas's cheek. "We're getting in on in the bath."

Roxas sighed. "Is there any point in even trying anymore?"

"No," the entire car chorused back at him, save Hayner, who was, predictably, asleep.

Kairi made a note in her book and turned to Roxas. "Alright, Roxas. Your turn. The question is; Do you have a nickname for your partner?  
a) No, I don't go for that.

b) Yes, but I can't use it outside the bedroom.

or c) Yes, and I use it all the time."

"No," Roxas said quickly. "Defiantly not. A."

"That's not what you said last—OWW! You've got to stop hitting me every time I say that." Axel said, nursing a sore shoulder.

"No subtlety," Roxas moaned, burying his head in Axel's shoulder. "You have _no_ subtlety."

"I try." Axel said, patting his hair lovingly. "Sorry. His answer, for the record, is A."

"Alrighty then," Kairi said, one eyebrow raised. "Sora. Your turn."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes!" Everyone in the car shouted. Sora winced.

"Okay, okay. Let's just get it over with."

"This one is…uhuh," Kairi said slowly. "Can you remember when you and your partner had your first date?

a) No, sorry.

b) I can remember what year it was.

c) I can remember exactly what it was and what we did."

Sora flushed slowly as a flood of memories washed over him like a wave; soft rain falling through his hair, light fingers touching his skin, the soft brush of Riku's lips against his own, damp and warm from the rain…

"For your sake, it better be C." Riku said dryly.

Sora gave him a smile. "Of course I remember. I don't think I'd be able to forget if I tried."

The entire car gave a collective "Awwww."

"I don't suppose we get details?" Axel asked coyly.

"No!" Doug interjected quickly. "Just…move on, please." He sunk down into his seat, muttering something about "candlelit baths, my goodness," and "common decency."

Alysa's smirk was clearly visible in the rear-view mirror.

"Okay," Kairi said quickly. "Last one, cause I already took this one, Hayner's asleep, and no offense, Alysa, but…"

"That's alright. I think I've done a sufficient amount of mental damage already."

Kairi smiled. "Alright, Riku. You ready?"

"Go for it."

Kairi studied the page in front of her, her eyebrows raised. "Wow. How many ex-partners have you had?

a) one or none

b) a few

c) or enough to fill a phonebook?"

"Phonebook?" Axel crooned. "Try a stadium."

This time, it was Riku who whacked him.

"Well…erm…" Riku said, sounding uncomfortable for the first time in recent memory. "Does it count if Sora's the first boy?"

Kairi shot him a glare.

"Fine, fine. C, I guess."

"And that leaves us with the results," Kairi said, screwing up her brow in concentration and adding under her breath.

"Alright, out of 100...Roxas is 42 romantic."

"We'll have to work on that, eh," Axel said with a wink, then stopped as he saw the look Roxas was giving him. "Please don't hit me."

"Right," Kairi continued. "Sora is 60 romantic, and Riku is 85 romantic."

"We can boost those numbers, I think," Riku said, giving Sora a look that made his skin do that weird shivery thing. Damn Riku and his smoldery look that made Sora break out in goosebumps all over.

"And Axel is 99 romantic, which, according to this quiz, is a romance fiend."

"YES!" Axel said, pumping his fist into the air. "I WIN!"

Roxas gave him a look. "99? That explains a lot."

"You bet it does," Axel said happily, bringing the other boy even closer and wrapping a hand around his waist. "But I think we need to work on that last one percent, Roxy. Bring on the candles!"

Roxas simply sighed and buried his head into Axel's shoulder, which, despite his protest, was still the most comfortable place he knew.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Past three hours and the car grew quieter as the long week and the early morning caught up with all of them. Kairi had fallen asleep slumped over in her seat, and Doug was snoring, open-mouthed, from the front seat, and Sora was willing to bet that Alysa could set off a cannon in the car and Hayner would simply snore louder, to compensate for the extra noise.

Roxas had fallen asleep on Axel's shoulder, his wild blond hair tucked securely under the other boy's chin. The redhead was looking a little sleepy himself, but when he thought no one was looking he kept shooting affectionate glances at the sleeping boy folded into his collarbone. Eventually Axel's own eyes fluttered closed as well, his head nestled comfortably on Roxas' own.

"Looks comfortable," Riku remarked dryly, his clear eyes seeking out Sora and staying there.

"What does?"

"Them," Riku said simply, gesturing toward the backseat.

Sora tore his gaze away from the blurry outlines of the landscape flying by the window and followed Riku's gaze. The smallest hint of a flush on his cheeks, he deliberately turned back toward the window. "Yep. Sure does."

"I have to admit, I'm a bit…jealous…"

Sora heard the sound of Riku sliding along the bench seat towards him, and his cheeks heated up more.

He might as well _try_ to be modest…

"I'm not sleepy, Riku…"

Strong hands slipped around his waist, pulling him close until his leg bumped against Riku's own. An arm slipped around his back, its warmth tangible through the fabric of Sora's t-shirt. It pulled him close as he gave a soft little sigh and laid his head down agreeably on Riku's shoulder, feeling it as the other boy exhaled softly.

Sora's last sensation before he fell into a dreamless sleep was a hand tightening around his waist, and a soft cheek resting against his forehead.

So much for modesty.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"Awwwwwwwwww. Isn't that just adorable? I should start a matchmaking service. What do you think about 'Alysa Will Have Hot Boys Sleeping On You in One Week or Less?' Catchy, right?'"

Doug peered sleepily into the rear-view mirror, taking in the similar positions of all of their campers. All six were smiling in their sleep, exhaling peacefully as the landscape flew on by.

"It's nice how we brought them together," Doug said grudgingly. "Thought, admittedly, I didn't imagine they would be_ this_ close together…"

"I knew," Alysa said smugly, veering sharply to avoid a squirrel.

Doug sighed, exasperated. "Of course you knew."

"Well, it was kind of obvious from the beginning, wasn't it? All you had to do was pay attention and give them a few little…_nudges_..." she said with a wink, elbowing Doug in the ribs.

"You know you're positively evil, right?"

"Born and bred," Alysa said with a happy little smile. "But you how blondes have more fun? Yeah, well, evil people kick their _asses _in the fun department."

Doug sighed and crossed his arms. "I guess…I do have to admit, the party was…sort of fun. Kinda. In a strictly out-of-character way."

"See? You can enjoy yourself too. Who knew you could dance like that? You left permanent impressions on some of those girls, Dougster."

He smiled bashfully. "Did I?"

"Oh, trust me. They won't forget some of your dance moves for years and years to come."

"Thanks," Doug said softly. He cast another look into the mirror. "They do look happy, don't they?"

Alysa smiled gently. "Yeah. You know, I'm not taking all the credit for this. You helped make this a successful trip, too."

"I did?" Doug said, sounding surprised.

"Sure you did. Some of your ideas were the starting ground for some of my more brilliant plots."

"Glad to hear it," Doug said dryly, then peered at his watch. "Only another two or three hours to go. We should make final campfire."

"Good," Alysa said, casting a smirk into the mirror. "I've missed Janet ever so much. Think she'll make us fill out another one of those Excelling in Our Experience forms?"

"The ones where we have to summarize the trip?"

"Including…" and Alysa's smirk grew positively devilish, "Camper-camper relationships."

Doug began to turn a faint shade of green. "How…oh, my…"

"What do you think is a catchier start; 'Due to our positive reinforcement, the majority of our campers have discovered not only wilderness skills, but the pros and cons of upper body groping', or do we want to go with, 'French kissing was not the only teamwork going on at the rock walls, but it was certainly the most enjoyable?" Alysa peered at her co-counselor intently. "Well? What do you think?"

"Just….just drive, Alysa."

She settled back in her seat and grinned comfortably at him. "None of us are ever going to be the same after this, eh?"

And for once, Doug had absolutely no reply.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was weird, Sora thought, to be back here.

He had woken up just as Alysa took a particularly vigorous turn into the camp and decided that slowing down over speed bumps was overrated. As a result, all six of her campers were now wide awake and nursing sore body parts, staring at the windows at Camp Ares, which they had left behind a week ago.

It was weird because Sora could remember, extremely well, coming here a week ago with his parents, seeing that same greeting sign, that counselor, too, who had helped him get his bags, even that groups of giggling girls looked vaguely familiar. He had expected the camp to be different, somehow, to somehow reflect the change within him.

"Home sweet camp!" Alysa crooned as she coasted to a stop, slamming the car in park and hopping out of the drivers seat. "Better hurry…we don't want to miss final campfire. I heard Janet is going to be rocking some 50 Cent, and I don't like to give up any opportunity for blackmail."

"Final campfire?" Sora asked, sleepily rubbing his eyes.

"Basically, it's just like beginning campfire, except now instead of telling us the rules we might break, she tells us, in vivid detail, the rules we have broken." Alysa gave a little skip. "Oh, it's so much fun! Hurry, hurry!"

"Don't we at least get to change, or something?" Roxas asked, shivering a little in the twilight chill. Axel moved behind him and wrapped his arms around him, and for once Roxas didn't protest, just settled with a resigned look on his face.

"Run. Be quick. Go gallivanting around the camp, I don't care, just be back here in time," Alysa said sternly, shooing them away. "I have people to see and stories to tell, anyway."

And before Sora could inquire as to exactly _what _stories she was going to tell, a very cold Roxas had grabbed him by the collar.

"We're going to the cabin…meet you there!" he called over his shoulder to Riku and Axel, who waved and went off to their own cabin.

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"It's been a long time since we've been here," Roxas said, pushing open the door of the quiet cabin. "I'd almost forgotten…what was our name, again?"

"Something to do with fruit," Sora said, trying to keep a straight face.

"I'm getting the feeling it was _yellow_ fruit," Roxas said, in a deeply puzzled voice.

"I'm feeling yellow, too. Defiantly yellow."

"Defiantly. What about the shape? Do you happen to remember the shape?"

"The shape?" asked Sora, his mouth twitching.

The two boys looked at each other for a long moment, standing in the doorway of their bunk, and burst out into hysterical laughter.

"I almost really did forget," Sora said between gasps.

"Banana boys forever," Roxas said, staggering over to his bunk for support. "Hey, your t-shirt! You forgot to take it!"

Sora caught the orange mass in midair and held it open. The bold lettering, "Fun! Friendship! Adventure!" stared back at him, and then he had to sit down because if he remained standing much longer, he would fall down from laughing so hard and probably injure himself in some way, which would be bad.

"We made a good team, us Banana boys," Roxas said when they had calmed themselves a little.

"We sure did," Sora snorted.

"I'm gonna miss you…everything about this place. This has been…this has defiantly been my most _eventful_ summer…"

"Mine too."

"Hey," Roxas said with a little grin, throwing a pillow at Sora's head. "Your college is right next door to mine, practically."

"If your definition of right next door is two hours through mountains and a small lake, then sure, practically neighbors."

"Let's visit each other," Roxas said with a casual grin. "You know, just for a weekend, or something. The banana boys…now that's a legacy that can't die out."

Sora laughed and threw a pillow at him, and then the fight was on.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The atmosphere was just as surreal as the first time, except this time, Sora had new company.

He wandered down the forest path with the other campers, lit by the wavering light of paper lanterns. A cool breeze blew through the trees, carrying with it the smell of ash and burning, until Sora could see the fire through the trees; a crimson mark in the darkness. He shivered, and a warm hand fell on his shoulder. He looked up; he had forgotten how dark Riku's eyes looked, at night….

"Find your seats," a counselor said at the edge of the clearing, directing the boys toward seats on the far side of the far. Axel and Roxas led the way, Riku and Sora close behind. Kairi and Hayner followed close behind, picking their way through the benches and logs.

"The first time we were here," Sora said softly, taking his seat next to Riku, "you kept staring at me."

"I did, did I?"

"Yes," Sora said accusingly. "I thought you were going to beat me up. And then Axel started doing this dance…"

"Let's not talk about it," Roxas said quickly.

"What, do you want an encore?" Axel said, shaking his hips suggestively. "You know, I always work better with a partner."

"Anyways," Roxas said firmly. "That was when we thought you two were…well…."

"Not nice," Sora finished delicately.

"I hope I proved you wrong," Riku said, giving him a little nudge.

"For the most part," Sora said with a smile.

"HEY! EVERYONE SHUT UP!"

Instant silence fell over the campfire.

The counselor who had shouted cleared her throat and looked embarrassed. "Um…Janet has something to say. So…listen up!"

Everyone applauded politely as Janet stood up on one of the logs, holding out a gnarled hand for silence.

"Thank you. Well, welcome to our end of camp bonfire, a bittersweet occasion for most of us. It means the end of camp has reached us, but it is also a time to celebrate the adventures we had had, personal growth, and of course, new friendships."

She took a moment to sweep her gaze among the campers faces, as if checking for signs of friendship or personal growth.

"To start things off, I have a brief announcement. A few hours ago, the Falcons arrived back at camp, fresh off a week of climbing fun in Maine! Do either of you want to say a few words about the trip?" She asked, turning to where Alysa and Doug were sitting.

Alysa sprang up eagerly, jumping out of the way of Doug's feeble attempt to catch her.

"Oh my god," Roxas said softly.

Sora buried his head in his hands. "Goodbye, sweet dignity…"

"Thank you, thank you," Alysa said, springing up amid a spattering of applause. "The Falcons had a stellar trip this year, simply amazing. Rock climbing, was, of course, the main focus of our trip, and we all improved immensely in that area, but we also improved in other skills as well. Friendship, communications…"

"Well? Should I run and hide yet?" Roxas whispered from where he was crouched, hands over his ears.

"Not yet," Axel whispered back. "But…"

"…..teambuilding, hide and seek, s'more making, almost-skinny-dipping, evil schemes, tent hopping, conga, using binoculars, quiz-taking, pitching tents, sexual innuendo, making out on mountain tops--"

"Okay, now you can run and hide," Axel whispered.

"ALYSA!"

Alysa smiled cheerfully at Janet. "Yes, oh-madame-camp-director?"

"Get down. Now. We're going to have a serious talk later, young lady."

Alysa gave her a mocking salute and hopped down from her log, holding her arms out to receive the tumultuous applause from the campers. "Thank you, thank you," she said with a bashful little grin. "There are still spots open for my next group…."

"Alysa…" Roxas said, groaning.

"That's her," Riku said, grinning.

Sora was about to reply when a high pitched voice interrupted him. "RIKUUUU!"

His head shot up to see a familiar face; a pretty, smug, made up face, framed by a sheet of brown hair, and arms that were reaching out past Sora to pin Riku.

Claire.

"RIKU I missed you so much there are no cute boys left at camp and then Janet got mad at us for playing spin the bottle which was stu-pid cause YOU weren't there, anyways, and I had to kiss this boy with acne can you _imagine _it was _horrendous _I missed you so much cause I even took this quiz in a magazine and it said my summer romance would last FOREVER can you _believe _it even though my horoscope said today would be a bad day for romance well it was _wrong _cause my Riku baby is hommmme!"

She paused for breath and noticed the stunned expressions of the two boys in front of her. "What is it, baby? And who are you?" she said, looking down her nose at Sora.

Sora opened his mouth angrily when Riku silenced him with a sharp kick to the thigh.

"I missed you too, sweetums," He said in a deep voice, looking up at her from beneath his eyelashes.

"Really?" she squeaked

"Not a bit," Riku said flatly. "And as to he is….may I introduce Sora, my _boyfriend_?"

It was fun watching her face change, Sora thought. From joyous to hopeful to pleasantly confused to blank to unpleasant to absolutely, terrifically horrified, all in less than three seconds.

"BOYFRIEND?" she screeched. "BOYFRIEND? You're…you're…"

"Pretty much, yeah," Riku said, wrapping his arms around Sora.

"EWWW!" Claire screamed, now looking disgusted. "I kissed you! I kissed a _gay boy_! EWWW!"

"Seems Axel did _turn_ me, after all," Riku said, and his tone bordered on dangerous.

She stopped sticking out her tongue long enough to look down her nose at him. "Well, it was true, wasn't it? God, I can't even believe it…I need some mouthwash…"

"You got me in a lot of trouble with people I cared about," Riku said softly. "And you are_ so_ lucky they understand enough to forgive me for listening to _you_."

Claire stared at him in disbelief. "Are you like, mad at me, or something?"

"Get out of my sight," Riku said flatly.

She gave him a hard look. "Fine, loser."

"Good one," Axel said from behind Riku. "And you better run…who knows how contagious I might be?"

Claire sniffed once, flipped her hair over her shoulder, and stalked away, almost tripping over one of the log seats in the process.

"What did I see in her?" Riku asked disbelievingly.

"I do not know," Sora said, finding his voice again. "And way to freak me out for a minute, by the way."

Riku smirked. "Sorry. I just wanted to see the look on her face."

'It was a good look," Axel said dreamily. "Like a squashed bug."

"You should have known, anyway," Riku said, bringing Sora onto his lap and wrapping his arms around his waist, "That I meant it- what I said to her."

"I know," Sora said softly, resting his head on Riku's shoulder. "I know, now."

His gaze traveled the campsite and settled on Kairi, who had Hayner's arms around her shoulders. "Hey, Kairi?"

She turned around, her gaze content. "Yeah?"

"Thanks. You know, for the quiz. And the talk, before the trip. And for not giving up on me for being completely and totally oblivious."

She shrugged, a little smile on her face. "I figured it was a boy thing. And everything turned out alright, didn't it?"

"I guess it did."

"Besides," Kairi said, turning so the orange light from the blaze lit up her hair, "It was good practice."

Sora was confused. "For what?"

"Well," Kairi said delicately, twirling a strand of hair around her finger, "I was sort of thinking of becoming a junior counselor next year. Alysa promised she would request me…."

Sora gave an involuntary shudder. "You two…together?"

"Should be an interesting year," Kairi mused. "A very interesting year."

Sora made a mental note; do not send friends, relatives, or securely heterosexual people to this camp next year. Period.

Speaking of Alysa…

"Ducklings!"

Alysa appeared out of nowhere, Doug trailing behind her. "Did you like my speech?"

"The parts where I wasn't wincing in horrific embarrassment," Sora mumbled under his breath.

She shot him a beautiful smile. "Yeah, Janet liked it too. Anyways, Dougie and I just wanted to say our last farewells."

"Already?"

"Better now than never," Doug said with a little smile. "And I have to say…you guys have been the best group yet. I'm really…really going to miss you guys…" He sniffed loudly.

"Me too," Alysa said softly. "Evil-doing won't be the same without you."

"Aww, thanks ever so much," said Axel sarcastically, but his eyes were glimmering too much in the firelight. Kairi and Hayner were looking depressed, Riku wore a dejected expression, and Sora and Roxas were looking at their counselors like lost puppies.

"Cheer up, ducklings," Alysa said, leaning close so only they could hear her. "We'll meet again. I have one more year of college, and then I can be free to travel the world, spreading my ways. I'll find you sometime along the way."

They all nodded mutely, not trusting themselves to words.

As Alysa turned away, Sora searched desperately for something else to say to her, something to sum up the mixed feelings he had for this person who had changed him so completely.

Strangely, all that he could come up with was, "What's your major…in college?"

She turned around. Framed by the firelight, her tan skin glowed in the darkness, and her familiar grin flashed one last time as she said, "Psychology, of course."

And then she was walking away, disappearing into the milling crowds of people.

"There goes the best counselor in the whole wide world," Sora said feelingly.

All the others could do was nod.

------------------------------------------------------------------

"So," Axel whispered, low in Roxas' ears. "This is the last night."

Roxas shivered a little, despite the warmth of the fire. "I guess so."

"Been a helluva week."

"You can say that again," Roxas said dryly, pretending not to notice as the other boy's hands snaking across his stomach. "I used to think you were a spastic, evil sociopath, you know."

"And you say you don't have pet names for me…"

"I don't think you're that_ anymore_. Well, maybe the spastic part."

"Aww. You really know to make a boy blush, Roxy."

A flush was lining Roxas' own cheeks as he stared deliberately into the fire, working up the courage to say the next part of what was on his mind.

"Thanks, Axel."

"For what?" The redhead said, stroking Roxas' cheek.

Roxas took a deep breath. "For making me realize what an idiot I was. And for not giving up on me, when I…you know."

"Oh, you were always so adorably oblivious," Axel said, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Sometimes I thought I wasn't getting through to you at all. Then, of course, you kissed me, so I had to rethink that part a little."

Roxas blushed more. "I can't believe it's already been a week. After this…"

"After this," Axel said in a deep voice, "I am going to need a picture of you, Roxy. To remember you by."

Roxas tried not to feel disappointed. After all, Axel and he were going off to college, where they would meet plenty of other boys, plenty of other opportunities. It was stupid to think that….nah, this would never have lasted.

"I guess I can arrange that," Roxas said in a level voice. "As long as you don't use it in….eww, I don't even want to think about how you might use it."

"Not for that, goof," Axel said, turning Roxas so he was facing him. "And not "something to remember you by" as in "Lookie, roomates, this was my first summer fling, ain't he cute?"'

"Then what do you need it for?" Roxas asked, a bit distracted by Axel's proximity.

The other boy only smiled, a ghost of a smile. "So that as long as I can see you, I'll remember why I don't need anyone else."

"That is the cheesiest thing I've ever heard," Roxas said, as his heart leapt up into his throat.

Axel laughed. "Yep. But it worked, didn't it? You're starry-eyed already, and I haven't even kissed you…." he murmured as his face drew closer and closer, and for once Roxas didn't care that they were in plain sight, that tomorrow his parents would come to pick him up, or even that in a few weeks he would have to go to college, away from Axel.

All he focused on was Axel's warm lips on his own, strong hands pulling him closer, burying in his hair, and then he thought no more.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Should we tell them to get a room?" Sora asked distractedly, looking at the fused mass of arms, legs, and lips that was Axel and Roxas.

"Nah. Way more fun out here, in the open," Riku replied, eyeing several thirteen year olds who looked faint. "Plus, that would be hypocritical of us, wouldn't it?"

"Oh, are we making out too? I didn't even notice."

"Well, it is our last night…."

Sora's eyes immediately grew sadder. "Don't say that."

"What? After this, we have to go home, then off to colleges. We can't ignore that forever, Sora," Riku said gently. "Look at me."

Sora looked up slowly, blue eyes filled with emotion. "We're not going to get to see each other, will we?"

Riku stared at him for a long, long moment. "Not as much as we'd like."

Sora looked down again, his hair falling adorably into his eyes. "Oh."

"You know," Riku said, leaning back on his log and crossing his arms. "I seem to remember that there's a lot of space between our colleges."

"Don't remind me," Sora said sadly.

"But not just space," Riku interjected deftly. "I have a feeling there are some trees in the middle. Maybe roads, too. Maybe even lakes."

Sora looked up at last, giving Riku a worried oh-noes-has-my-boyfriend-gone-way-off-the-deep-end-look. Riku just kept smiling, which only worried Sora more.

"….birds, wildlife…..cliffs? Rocks?" Riku's smile grew wider. "Climbing walls, perhaps?"

Sora met his gaze, hardly daring to believe what he was saying. "Climbing walls?" he repeated, looking intently at Riku.

"Yeah. I think there are some climbing walls in the middle. And you know, some weekends- pretty much every weekend, actually- I like to get out. You know, just me, a lot of granite, and a tent…and maybe, you know, you could come along," Riku said with a little shrug, his aquamarine eyes twinkling at Sora.

Sora was smiling back now. "I'll have to check my busy schedule...but I think I can make it. You know I love tents."

"You do, do you?" Riku purred, pulling Sora irresistibly closer. "I think you love me more."

"I think you're probably right," Sora agreed happily. "Some weekends, huh? You're close, right?"

Riku laughed. "Close? I'll be moving in before you know it."

"I don't know how my parents will feel about that," Sora said gravely.

"Pshaw. They don't need to know," Riku said with a little wink, his arms snaking around Sora's shoulders.

"Can we do this, Riku?" Sora said, suddenly serious. "Can we really do this, you think? Can we…can we make it?"

Riku gazed at the fire for a moment- a long moment, the orange light framing his face, warming his complexion and making his eyes seem dark, dark and emotional.

Sora was just getting nervous when Riku looked at him, a small smile on his face, and said simply, "As long as I can lead."

"Never," Sora said happily, and leaned in for another kiss- but not the last kiss.

Because as Riku's lips brushed his own, he knew; things would be alright.

-------------------------------------------------------------

FIN!

Wowzee this story ended up being long. Like, way long. I'm kind of impressed with myself.

Anyways, first things first. I know we're all really sad this story is over, but it had a great run, and it really meant a lot to me, especially with all the positive support you guys gave me. This story idea started off as a normal, non-KH, heterosexual, short story drabble idea that I was playing around with. But then I beat KHII and got really sad about that and came on here and got sucked into the deep, dark abyss of fanfic. And I thought to myself, "Why not give that a go?" So all the characters were changed to KH characters, the plot was tweaked a bit, and I was on my way (Alysa, however, was there from the very very beginning)

Because if you want to say anything about this site, good writers do get recognition on here. Maybe not with oneshots, maybe not with drabbles, but if you sit down and want to write a multi-chapter, well thought out, plot-heavy fic that is well done, people will find it and people will review it and it will get good recognition. Which is what surprised the hell out of me when I logged on one day and discovered that my humble little fic had 100+ reviews. And what still surprises the hell out of me when I log on and discover I now had 100+ reviews per chapter.

So I guess what it comes down to is that I really want to thank you guys, all of you who read this from the beginning to the end. I am really serious about writing, and it has been like a WOWEE confidence boost to get this much love about a tiny meaningless story I posted one day on this site. Special shout outs to those of you who reviewed every chapter, and that would be... **Maki Totakiyami **and **Sekre**! –throws confetti, balloons, brownies, plushies-…

AND ALL THE REST OF YOU! SOME OF YOU WERE SOOO CLOSE, AND I LOVE YOU AS WELL.

And more special shout outs to **MyHiddenStory**, who never fails to give me food, **AbnormallyWeirdPerson, **who wins the longest reviews ever award, **ArosxIrukxOxarsxLeax**, whose skit reviews have made me laugh like nothing else, **RedBlackandWhite**, for being the first to use my darling Alysa in a fic and still making me grin stupidly whenever I see her name in his fic, and lastly **BeuitifulDisgrace246 **who left me such a complimentary review last chapter that I started to blush and then walked around with a silly little grin on my face for the whole day and lead a whole bunch of people to ask my, "Why the hell are you so happy?"

AND ALL THE REST OF YOU!

But I digress.

On a final note, a lotttttt of you have started asking about sequels and/or other fics.

First off: a sequel.

If you didn't notice, this fic ended on a pretty happy note. A hugely happy note. A sugar and Care-Bears happy note. And usually, as a serious writer, I am scornful of happy endings. I loathe them. I consider them unprofessional. I love bittersweet endings, just like I love bittersweet chocolate. BUT IN THE CASE OF THESE PAIRIINGS I will make a small exception. Cause it makes me happy when they're happy. And you wouldn't want ME to be sad, would you?

What does this have to do with a sequel, you ask? Well, to make a sequel I would have to invent an alternate plot and some sort of conflict which may or may not involve another man and/or Riku and Sora OR Axel and Roxas breaking up, WHICH WOULD NOT BE FUN.

So in terms of a sequel; there's a slim chance, but probably not. If I wrote anything it would be some sort of quickie one-shot that would be like a glimpse into their future lives. But I like how I left it, so even that is questionable.

In terms of other stories;

I would like to write other stories. Really, I would. And I probably will. But not for a couple of months, at least.

Why, you ask? Well, a few things.

One, school is starting soon. We all know about school and it's evils. Taking my time. Making me do…_homework_. And it's just hard to dedicate time to something when you have a history assignment biting you in the butt.

Two, I want to have some time off to come up with a good idea, not just a half-assed alternate version of this story. I write best when coming off a dry spell, actually, and some time off will be good to get the good ol' creative juices flowing. Yum.

Three, I'm actually working on something else that has been SORELY neglected because of this fic, and it's feeling kind of depressed about that. Currently, I'm about halfway through a monstrous short story/novel kind of thing that I really like and would like to finish, but it takes up a lot of my time and I need give it a lot of attention, like a stray puppy. Right now it's close to being 200 pages long, and I really want to finish it, so that will take up some time.

BUT DO NOT FEAR!

I'll write something else, and I'll still lurk around this site, checking other stories…maybe _your_ stories…out. I'm not gonna disappear forever. Just gonna…hide for awhile. Like hide and seek. Yeah!

So that concludes my monstrous huge end-of-story speech. And now I have to leave you. I'll end this with a song that I find strangely appropriate for the story, a song by Hellogoodbye (If you know them, I am impressed with you already. You get _special _points.) I saw them live and almost got trampled in a mosh pit, but it was sweet. Really.

Thanks again for reading. LOVE! HEARTS! CANDY! BYEEE!

_I like where we are_

_when we drive in your car_

_I like where we are_

_here_

_cause our lips_

_can touch_

_and our cheeks_

_can brush_

_our lips can touch_

_here_

_when you are the one that lies close to me_

_whisper's hello I missed you quite terribly_

_I fell in love, in love with you suddenly_

_now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms…._

--redwing


End file.
